Living Life in the Fast Lane
by Lana Langston
Summary: Ever wonder what happened to the characters after the Gossip Girl series finale? Find out where they all are 10 years after the series finale!
1. Time Heals Old Wounds As Great Memories

__I adored the CW show Gossip girl...it was my guilty pleasure. The entire cast and crew brought this fantastic show to life! _I got the idea for this Gossip Girl fanfiction over my winter break in December 2013. School didn't give me too much opportunity to write but I've made significant progress this summer._

_Living Life in the Fast Lane is set 10 years after the Gossip Girl series finale...so the year is 2022. You'll need some brief background information to understand the point in life all the Gossip Girl characters are at. The story follows the lives of the Gossip Girl characters yet it mainly focuses around Blair, Chuck, Serena, Dan, Vanessa, and Nate._

_Here are all the characters (along with most of their ages) who are involved in the story:_

_Blair (33) /Chuck (33)_

_Serena (33) /Dan (33)_

_Vanessa (33) /Nate (33)_

_Georgina (33) /Uncle Jack (40-ish)_

_Lily/William_

_Rufus/Allison_

_Erik (31)_

_Jenny (31)_

_**I do not own any of these characters! Warning: There are many spoilers from the show in this fanfiction! This is rated M because of mild language and some scenes of mature content. **_

**_The first chapter revolves mainly around Blair and Chuck! Now you are ready to start reading Living Life in the Fast Lane! _**

**_I'd greatly appreciate your constructive feedback. Hope you enjoy my story! R&amp;R!_**

* * *

**Part 1-Time Heals Old Wounds As Great Memories Are Created**

New York City was bustling with the usual Christmas activity and massive influx of tourists. The Upper East Side residents were kept busy with their own personal lives to be concerned with the activities of the common folk. Every Christmas was a very stressful time of year for Upper East Siders. They were planning their own extravagant holiday parties in an effort win the honorary mention of Christmas Party of the Year among their social circles

The Waldorf penthouse was lively with an array of activity. Chuck and Blair were in their respective offices while their two children, Henry and Adeline, chased each other around the penthouse. Henry, age 9, and Adeline, age 3, kept Dorota constantly on her toes.

The last few weeks Blair has been working longer hours to deal with last-minute approvals of design sketches for the new holiday clothing line for Waldorf Designs. She didn't always see eye-to-eye with her designers. "The holiday clothing line isn't intended for everyday women! Waldorf Designs offers clothing and accessories _exclusively_ for high-end shoppers! How many times must I clarify this to you all! Rosamund have you verified with Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Barneys the specific launch date of this new holiday clothing line? Clarissa I need you to get 10 models ASAP! We'll be modeling the top ten outfits in the holiday clothing line during our upcoming fashion show. Also, I'll be meeting the Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Barney's executive designers next week for final approval. For God's sakes, we cannot lose our momentum. I understand the holiday season is fast approaching but I will not tolerate _anyone _slacking off their duties! That's it for today. Go home all of you." She shooed all four designers and their assistants out of her home office. Grabbing the San Pellegrino water bottle sitting on her desk, she washed down two Advil tablets without hesitation. While Blair usually loved her position as the President of Waldorf Designs, although there were days that was so overwhelmingly unbearable and stressful. These types of days would give her a raging migraine. She had been working since 4 am. "I need a nap," Blair muttered under her breathe in an aggravated tone.

Strolling out of her office while massaging her throbbing forehead, Blair sauntered down the hall into the main foyer. Her son was sitting at the dining room table playing with his medieval figurine set. After reading King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table legends to him over the years as bedtime stories, Henry became enthralled with the realm of King Arthur. Chuck vowed to her years ago that he wanted to be affectionate father toward their future children since his own father, Bart Bass, wasn't a loving parent to him. Dorota gently rocked Adeline, who was loudly sobbing, in her arms. "Blair! Blair! Miss Adeline hasn't stopped crying for almost an hour! I don't know what's wrong with her. 'I want my mommy' is mostly what she says between her sobs, but I didn't want to disturb you..."

"Don't worry, Dorota. I decided that that I am finished for the day. I couldn't spend another minute with my designers and their assistants who decided to be uncooperative with me today. The only way I can forget about my horrible day today is to spend time with my two children," Blair interjected. Dorota handed Adeline to Blair. "What's wrong, darling? There's no need to cry. Tell me what happened to you," Blair tenderly said to her daughter. It was 2:30 pm and probably her nap time. Carrying her wailing toddler daughter in her arms, Blair headed up the staircase. A nap would make a world of difference to the both of them.

Meanwhile, Chuck was leisurely lounging in his office with his two friends, Nate and Dan, and Uncle Jack. No relationship is perfect but over the years Chuck had become closer to Dan and Uncle Jack. Initially, he had called Uncle Jack to discuss this quarter's finances for Bass Industries while simultaneously determining new business strategies to further boost the company's success. Five years ago, Chuck appointed Uncle Jack to be the Vice President of Bass Industries. Despite their headstrong personalities, they made a dynamic team that revitalized Bass Industries into its glory days. Dan Humphrey and Nate Archibald happened to be wandering through their neighborhood and dropped by unexpectedly to pay their friend a visit. The four men were casually chatting amongst themselves while drinking Jack Daniels.

"I bet the NY Spectator keeps you even more lately as you prepare to open another branch in Chicago," Uncle Jack lightly remarked.

Taking a sip of his whiskey, Nate replied cheerfully, "Ironically I'm no busier than my normal business day. Although, Vanessa isn't too pleased I'll be missing Christmas festivities to head over to the new Chicago office to tie up all the loose ends. The opening celebrations of the new NY Spectator branch must go off without a hitch."

"The proper term I'd use is that Vanessa is _pissed off_ at you for missing the first Christmas party she is making an effort to go all out for. She is getting to her wits end with the 'bitchy snob' aka Natalie Parlere, the well-known Upper East Side event planner Serena suggested her to use," Dan clarified with a hearty chuckle.

Chuck and Nate burst out in robust laughter over Dan's comment. The three guys understood Vanessa's stubborn personality usually lacked tactful subtlety. Vanessa was known for her extremely blunt nature. Jack looked at the three young men with a bewildered facial expression. Clearly, there was some inside joke or reference he wasn't in on. Georgina has been bombarding him with multiple texts asking for his opinion for their Christmas party in a couple weeks. Jack was intentionally ignoring all the texts.

The laughter suddenly died down when Henry burst into the office with a morose expression on his little face. "Mommy told me to give this to you to lock up in your office for a week." Henry's medieval figurine set was neatly piled in his skinny arms.

Chuck knew damn well that Blair wouldn't punish Henry like this without a legitimate reason. "Why did mommy tell you to do that? What did you do, Henry?" he firmly yet gently inquired. He hadn't seen Blair since she woke up at the crack of dawn to resolve matters related to Waldorf Design. Neither had he seen Adeline in the past couple hours since Dorota brought her around during lunch.

"Addie was pestering me while I was playing with my King Arthur and the Roundtable Knights figurines. No matter how many times I politely asked her to stop bothering me she didn't listen. I accidently ripped off the head and arms of her favorite Barbie doll to prove my point," his son explained remorsefully. "I didn't mean to be so mean to Addie. I just wanted to some peace and quiet." Henry had quite a temper at times. Like father like son.

Opening up an empty drawer of his mahogany office table, Henry placed the figurines one by one into the drawer with his face becoming increasingly brooding. Chuck understood how much his son loved his medieval figurines. His son sulked out of his office back into the main foyer. No one said that raising children was an easy job.

Dan and Jack were talking amongst themselves. Nate intensely stared at his iPhone screen that he almost forgot that he was in a room with three other people. Uttering swears under his breath, he ran his hand through his hair as he felt his frustration exacerbate rapidly. Today was _supposed_ to be his day off from the NY Spectator. Rising out of the comfy leather seat, Nate threw on his winter jacket. "I'm so sorry but I must leave right now. It turns out my secretary forgot to let me know that today I had a conference with the New York Times editor in an hour," Nate explained in a cross tone.

"Don't worry, Nate. You don't need to explain yourself to us. We can meet up for drinks tonight," Chuck replied.

Nate dashed out of office into the main foyer towards the elevator. Blair holding their daughter, Adeline, in her arms entered the office. Addie wriggled out of her mother's arms and ran enthusiastically ran towards her father. Chuck gently placed Addie on his lap.

"Mrs. Dorota, mommy, and I just finished baking chocolate chip cookie in the kitchen. I wanted to see if you and your friends wanted a cookie," Addie said with a warm smile that spread across her beautiful, sweet face.

"Well haven't you been a busy-bee missy," Chuck replied to his daughter adoringly. "Uncle Jack, Dan, and I will come to the kitchen soon to get a cookie."

Adeline hopped off her father's lap. Blair subtly winked at Chuck then elegantly strolled out of the office with Addie skipping gleefully behind her.

Uncle Jack knew how his older brother, Bart Bass, wasn't exactly known for being a loving father to his son. He was legitimately proud of his nephew's transformation progress over these years. "If you told me 15 years ago that my nephew would become a lovable softy after setting down and having a couple children I would have laughed hysterically. Those children won't grow up living a life in which there father showed them no affection. What a drastically wonderful transformation you've undergone!" Uncle Jack noted. "Unfortunately, Milo isn't exactly the same sweet child he used to be. I swear he is becoming like his mother. It is actually very frightening. Georgina has steadily improved over the years while Milo is rapidly turning into the male version of his mom."

"I'd say the phrase 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' is very applicable to your situation, Jack," Dan remarked sardonically. Dan was always known for his witty remarks. Although, he personally felt some pity for Jack. Georgina and Milo weren't always the easiest people to live with. Many years ago, Daniel Humphrey briefly dated Georgina, who was pregnant not with his child, lived with him in his Brooklyn loft for almost year. Also, he helped to raise her son as if Milo was his own until they went to live with her fiancée at the time.

Jack nodded in full agreement and took a few swigs of his whiskey. It never failed to amaze him how after all these years he became close friends with his nephew's pals, Nate and Dan. How times have changed for the better over several years.

"Since we've discussed what was needed for the upcoming shareholder meeting for Bass Industries, you don't need to stick around if you have other important matter to attend to," Chuck said to his uncle.

"I'm trying to stay as far away from the house as long as possible. This gives me a valid reason. Georgina has officially gone into Christmas festivity madness. If I must hear another mention of tinsel and poinsettias, I'm going to go officially insane," Jack exclaimed with undertones of desperation. Uncle Jack wasn't a huge fan of Christmas season, especially when women incessantly went on about details of their holiday party planning and Christmas decorations.

Adeline elatedly burst into the study room. "Mrs. Dorota and I decided to bring the chocolate cookies to you." She ran out of the room after her short announcement.

Tagging along behind Addie, Dorota entered with a plate of cookies and placed them on the table. She took a moment to catch her breath. "Miss Addie has so much energy in her. I don't know where it all comes from. So difficult to keep up with her sometimes," she remarked between her breathes.

"She keeps us all on our toes, Dorota. It's truly amazing how the older we all get the less energy we have. Children don't realize what a gift it is to have vast amounts of energy bursting in them," Chuck replied with a faint laugh. "Also, Blair mentioned to me that you asked if you could have a surprise party for Anna here this Saturday. That won't be a problem. You're practically part of the family."

"Thank you, Mr. Chuck. My daughter is going to love what I have planned for her birthday party! Ms. Blair and you have been so kind to me over the years. I don't know how to repay you both!"

"Nonsense. I'm pretty damn sure that we all owe you so much. You've always been there for us all when our parents were too busy to spend time with their children. I'm going to be heading out soon to meet with a potential investor. If Blair inquires my whereabouts tell her I'll be back in a couple hours."

"Mr. Levinson's secretary just e-mailed me to notify us that he wants to move the meeting to the Ritz-Carlton. We should probably be heading out soon because it now peak traffic time in the city," Jack notified his nephew while glancing at his iPhone.

Dan brushed off the cookie crumbs off his suit jacket. "Serena is going to be furious if I'm not home tonight by 6 pm. I still have to go by the bakery in Brooklyn to pick the pies she ordered this morning for tonight's dinner. Our parents and a few other guests are coming to dinner tonight. Wish me luck!" He slipped on his winter coat and grabbed a cookie before leaving the study. "Tell me when you're meeting up for drink with Nate tonight."

Chuck took a couple more swigs of his whiskey. "Best not to keep Serena waiting too long. No problem, Humphrey. I'll text you the details after my meeting. See you tonight."

"I'll meet you outside in the foyer, Chuck. I need to call Mr. Levinson to confirm that our meeting is today at the Ritz-Carlton at 6 pm." Uncle Jack gathered up his gloves and coat before draining the remainder of whiskey from his glass. Chuck and Uncle Jack were going to need it since Mr. Levinson was highly recommended as an investor you wanted on your side despite his personality being exceptionally dull. His business expertise more than made up for his lack of a unique personality.

Closing the study room doors behind him and locking them, Charles followed a few steps behind his uncle to the foyer. Blair handed his coat, scarf, and gloves. All bundled up in his winter gear Chuck kissed his wife goodbye. As the elevator slowly opened, Adeline exclaimed in a shrill tone, "Daddy! You can't leave without hugging me!" He scooped up his daughter in his arms and softly kissed her tiny forehead. "Now be a good little girl while daddy is away for a couple hours. Tonight you can help mommy and I start putting up the Christmas decorations around the house."

Uncle Jack and Chuck stepped into the elevator. Addie gave her famous flying kiss to her father right before the elevator doors closed. They braced themselves for the blisteringly cold winter weather upon reaching the building's main lobby area. No matter how long you've lived in New York the winters were miserable for everyone despite NYC looking like a fairy tale winter wonderland.

* * *

**_Stay tuned...the next chapter will be focusing mainly on Serena and Dan! _**


	2. Family, Love, and Drama

_Here's the next chapter of Living Life in the Fast Lane! (LLITFL) If you need to be refreshed of the characters involved in LLITFL along with their respective ages refer back to Chapter 1. _

**_This chapter primarily focuses on Serena and Dan. _**

_**I'd great appreciate your constructive feedback. Enjoy! R&amp;R! **_

* * *

**Part 2-Family Love and Drama**

There was extensive maintenance work on many subway lines which created many delays for everyone. Ironically, the subways lines that went to Brooklyn were most affected by these delays. He became increasingly anxious. Sweet Tooth Bakery was going to close by 6 pm. It didn't seem that the delays were going to be resolved anytime soon, so Dan searched for an available cab. He couldn't return back to the Upper East Side _without_ the pies. Serena would rip his head off with one of her an angry tirades. The fact that she was currently pregnant made her even more emotionally volatile. Serena had heavily emphasized the importance of retrieving the pie orders from Sweet Tooth Bakery. It was stressful enough when Lily and William van der Woodsen, Serena's parents, unexpectedly invited themselves over for dinner _without_ any advanced warning. Tonight both of their parents were going to be coming over for dinner. Drama would definitely ensue!

Blair and Chuck were kind enough to lend them Dorota for the evening. There's no way this evening would have gone smoothly if it weren't for Dorota's assistance. Prior to actively being part of the Upper East Side society, Dan had no idea how much effort and planning went into hosting a dinner. His family didn't make a big deal of hosting dinner parties. They were casual affairs with no fancy or elaborate planning required. He didn't interfere in anything. Instead, he stayed out of the way and let the ladies do what they needed to be done for tonight's dinner.

The cab reached Sweet Tooth Bakery just in time before it closed. He took a minute to catch his breath. His heart was still racing from the near panic attack he was experiencing as the cab was driving to Brooklyn. The rush hour traffic jam on the streets of NYC only aggravated his anxiety. Running to the counter, "I'm here to pick up a few orders my wife called in this morning," Dan stated while wiping the profuse sweat from his brow.

Indifferent to his apprehensive state, the women behind the counter replied, "Under what name was the order placed?"

"Humphrey."

"Ah yes. I remember taking that interesting pie order this morning. Just give me a minute," the lady said as she quickly typed away at the computer keyboard. "It sounds like you are hosting an extravagant event. We normally don't get that many orders unless it is a large-scaled event."

"That's one way of describing what happens when my parents and in-laws come over for dinner," Dan sarcastically remarked. Lately, his editor had been plucking his last nerves. She had been constantly bombarding him with reminders of the deadline to submit the final chapters of his current book project. Combined with the frenzied holiday anxiety, Dan had become irritable towards people. He was extremely cautious not to piss off Serena who kept herself very busy planning their annual Christmas party. Popular holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas were hectic times of the year for Upper East Side families.

The woman returned back carrying six boxes of pies in her arms. Wow, it seemed Serena couldn't decide what pie she wanted and ordered six different flavors. Dan pulled out his wallet and swiped the credit card. The woman handed Dan the receipt and slide the six pie boxes towards him. "Hope your wife enjoys the pies!"

"I'm sure she will. Pregnant women have the most random cravings sometimes," he commented while delicately balancing the six pie orders in his arms. Dan skillfully managed to exit the bakery and not bump into anyone on the sidewalk. The cab driver arched his eyebrow in curiosity as he saw Dan hobble towards the cab with many pie boxes stacked in his arms. The driver opened the back passenger door for Dan considering he would be unable to open to door holding all those pies. Breathing a sigh of relief, Dan sank into the back seat with the six pie boxes. The entire ride back to the Upper East Side didn't take too long since it was after rush hour time.

Back at the Humphrey residence, Serena barely had enough time before her parents and in-laws came over. Dorota was kind enough to help her out tonight. She wouldn't have been able to accomplish all this by herself! Being six months pregnant with twins, it made it increasingly difficult to do the majority of things a normal person could do. Dorota understood the perks and challenges of being pregnant. Her mother, Lily, was being more overbearing than usual as her due date drew closer. Tonight would go smoothly if her mom didn't create unnecessary drama. Even after five years of being married to Dan Humphrey, her mother-in-law, Allison, still didn't like her. She usually wore neutral facial expressions but Serena saw right through it. The Humphrey and Van der Woodsen families had a very complicated history. Serena wished Blair was by her side tonight since that would help to sooth her overwhelming apprehension. Not many people in her life truly understand how stressful it was to plan extravagant holiday parties when you lived on the Upper East Side. Even the slightest mistake would become public gossip on the Upper East Side.

Dan and Serena had decided to have two different Christmas parties: one for their close friends and one for their immediate family members. This way they could enjoy the Christmas festivities with their loved ones while minimizing the stress of hosting one _huge_ Christmas party. Dan was smart enough to know not to interfere in any of the holiday party planning.

Life is full of surprises. Serena never realized the tumultuous journey she'd embark prior to meeting Dan Humphrey during her junior year of high school. Everyone makes mistakes but it is important that we learn from them and figure out who is worth keeping in your life. Despite their bumpy on-and-off relationship, Serena eventually figured out the person she wanted to be with was Daniel Randolph Humphrey.

"Miss Serena the table settings and decorations are finished. What else is left for us complete before Dan and the dinner guests arrive?" Dorota understood the stress of planning holiday dinners on the Upper East Side. Even the most informal dinner still required much planning.

"I think we are good for now. I'm just waiting for Dan to arrive home with the pies from Sweet Tooth Bakery. He better be here before my parents arrive. Rufus and Allison will arrive not too long after my parents. My mother better not spend the entire dinner being overbearing by giving me incessant advice," Serena said expressing undertones of her frustration.

"Don't be so harsh on your mother," Dorota began. "It is all a cover to hide her anxiety and joy that in a couple months she is going to be a grandmother. Your twins are going to be lucky to have the grandparents they have even if both come from different sides of society."

"I wish I could have a glass of wine to help relax my nerves before my parents and in-laws arrive," Serena remarked. "My daughter and son will be entering into a complex family situation yet there is no lack of love for them in this big family."

"Have you thought of possible names for your twins yet?" Dorota inquired while folding the cloth napkins.

"Dan and I have come up with some boy and girl names. We haven't found a boy and girl name that both of us have agreed on. We will worry about this matter after the Christmas festivities are over."

Dorota started to open her mouth to reply, but the shrill ring of Serena's cell phone interrupted her.

She put the phone to her ear and immediately replied, "Hello?"

"I got the pies from Sweet Tooth Bakery just before it closed. The traffic was insane. I'll be there in 20 minutes. Do you need me to buy anything else for tonight's dinner party?" She didn't even need to ask who the caller was. "Also, I have a surprise for you."

"I'd greatly appreciate it if you didn't give any more surprises tonight. It's bad enough having both of our parents over tonight. That is a wildcard surprise in itself. I just want tonight to go along smoothly _without_ too much drama or bombshells," Serena emphasized in a very serious tone. She was trying to not to make it obvious how nervous she was about tonight's dinner with their parents.

"Don't worry, honey. You'll love this surprise. I should let you know that Jenny has changed her mind and will be coming over for dinner tonight. I though you would want to be warned."

"Seriously? Jenny should know better to inform us last-minute that she decided to attend dinner! Please tell me you'll be home before our families arrive."

"Of course. I'm not too far from home. Don't stress yourself out that isn't good for you right now. I'll see you soon," Dan responded before hanging up the phone call.

"Is something wrong?" Dorota asked Serena.

"We need to prepare one more table setting at the table. It seems that Jenny will be coming over tonight with Rufus and Allison," Serena explained with a panicked look resonating in her blue eyes.

"That's not a problem. I will put out two more table settings just in case..."

"Just in case of what?"

"If your brother decided to also attend your dinner party tonight," Dorota clarified. "Why don't you sit down and relax? None of your guests have arrived yet and you are already starting to freak out. Take deep breathes and calm down. I'll put the extra table settings."

"You're right, Dorota. How am I going to get through the dinner if I'm already freaking out?! If you need me I'll be sitting in the family room. My feet are killing me." Serena walked away from the dining room towards the family room. She lay down on the soft leather coach resting her hands on her stomach.

_Forty minutes later..._

Serena let Dorota go home after helping her with the final dinner party preparations. Dorota didn't need to stay the entire time. She felt bad for keeping Dorota from her husband and two children. It was wrong to take her away from spending time with her family.

The taxi wasn't too far away from home when his iPhone vibrated. Dan thought it was Serena texting him things to buy before returning home. Instead, the text message read: Pick me up at Grand Central 6:30 pm. Change of plans.

Dan stared at his iPhone skeptically. His iPhone didn't recognize the cell number. He was curious who the text was from and replied to the message.

_Dan:_ Who is this?

_Erik:_ Oopps I probably should have mentioned my name in the previous txt. This is Erik. Is this Dan's cell?

_Dan:_ Yes. I though you said you were skiing with your buddies in Switzerland during Christmas.

_Erik:_ Long story short my friends decided to head home early to celebrate the Christmas festivities with their families. I felt guilty realizing that I should be back in NY with my parents and Serena. Are you able to pick me up at Grand Central? Don't tell Serena I'm coming

tonight for dinner! I want to surprise her.

_Dan:_ I don't think that is a good idea since she has been very stressed trying to plan tonight's family dinner. I'm pretty sure she is freaking out right now and tonight's festivities haven't even begun yet. Don't say I didn't warn you.

_Erik: _Thanks but I'm going to take the risk anyway. You still haven't told me if you would be picking me up from GC. I need to know now otherwise I'm going to get into a taxi soon.

_Dan: _Of course I'll come to GC to get you. I'm currently on my way home anyway from Brooklyn. Be waiting by the entrance of GC in 10 minutes. It's great that this year our families are going to be together in one place!

_Erik: _Everyone including Jenny?

_Dan: _Yes. She called this morning to inform me her boss was giving her time off today. She'll be coming tonight to dinner.

_Erik: _Just like the good old days. This will surely be an interesting family dinner.

_Dan: _ Couldn't have said it better, Erik. I'll see you soon.

Sliding his iPhone back into his coat pocket, he rapped on the divider to get the driver's attention. The divider slid open. "We're going to take a slight detour. I need to pick up someone from Grand Central Station before heading home." The driver didn't verbally reply instead moved into the correct lanes to proceed towards Grand Central.

_Twenty minutes later..._

Dan and Erik were busily chatting away during their short ride back from Grand Central station to the Upper East Side. Erik and Dan had both felt like outsiders in the Upper East Siders in their own ways. When Lily and Rufus were married, they became quick friends who had each other's back. They had maintained their friendship all these years even after Rufus and Lily divorced.

The taxi pulled up to their final destination. As Erik got his luggage out of the taxi, Dan pulled out cash from his wallet for the cab fare. "Thanks for being accommodating even when I last-minute added an extra destination! Keep the change. Have a great day." He paid the driver the cab fare. He delicately balanced the six boxes of pie orders in his arms. Erik arched his eyebrow in curiosity at the numerous pie orders.

Erik hadn't been to their new penthouse apartment since the last time he visited them several months ago. Dan and Serena decided to move out into their own place after they found out they were going to have twins. Up to that point, they were still living with Lily and William. They needed enough space for their family without rudely encroaching on Lily and William's space.

The elevator doors opened. Dan and Erik walked into the main foyer area. It was too quiet. "Serena? Dorota? Anyone here?" Dan called out. He glanced around the penthouse for signs of human movement. He found Serena comfortably napping on the leather couch. She had most likely spent most of today planning with Dorota for tonight's family dinner party. All that energy exerted must have taken an exhaustive toll on her body. Erik and Dan silently exchanged gazes trying to figure out who was going to wake her up. After putting down the pies on the counter, Dan and Erik used Rock, Paper, and Scissors to determine who woke up Serena. Erik lost against Dan all three rounds.

He cautiously approached his sister, who was peacefully napping. Kneeling down, Erik gently nudged Serena's shoulders and said, "Serena. Wake up please. The guests are going to arrive soon."

Muttering something nonsensical under her breathe, Serena slowly stirred awake as her eyelids fluttered open to register who was talking to her. A male with shoulder-length dark blonde hair and blue irises knelt in front of her. "Erik? Am I still dreaming? Are you really here?" she queried as her eyes were still adjusting to her current environment.

The elevator doors opened up with Rufus, Allison, and Jenny walking out into the foyer area. "Sorry we are late, Dan. Your mother seemed to have forgotten how crazy traffic in NYC is like during the Christmas season..." Rufus started to say but trailed off when he found Dan standing by the open kitchen layout. "Did we come too early, son?"

"Oh no. It seems we lost track of time. I was out running errands and picking up Erik from Grand Central..." Dan began to explain but was interrupted by his little sister.

"Erik is here?" Jenny inquired with an enthusiastic smile. Despite their up and downs in their friendship throughout high school, Jenny and Erik remained close friends. People often mistaken Dan, Jenny, and Erik to be biological sibling not stepsiblings. They never bothered to explain the details of their complicated family situation.

Erik helped his sister get up from the couch and guided her over to the kitchen area. The Humphrey family was congregated around the countertop casually chatting with each other. She wasn't wearing the outfit ensemble that had laid out on her bed. "I'm just going to quickly freshen up and I'll rejoin you guys in 15 minutes," Serena announced to the group in the kitchen.

_Twenty minutes later..._

As Serena walked down the stairs, the elevator doors open as Lily and William stepped out. "Mom!" she exclaimed joyfully. "How was your trip to Barcelona? I'm sure you guys had a lovely time!" she said. The later stages of her pregnancy had made stairs increasingly more difficult. She always cautiously checked to make sure to not miss a single step. Lily extended her hand to her daughter as she descended the last few steps. "You father and I had a great time in Barcelona. We wanted to make sure our flight made it home in time for Christmas festivities," Lily replied as she hugged Serena. As they approached closer to the kitchen, Lily exclaimed gleefully, "Erik? Is that you? I haven't seen my baby in long time!"

Erik had gotten used to his mother calling him "baby" his entire life but it was still embarrassing every time. "Of course it's me, mom! I wanted to surprise you guys this Christmas! Zeke, Lydia, and Elliot decided we should be spending time with our families over Christmas not skiing in the Alps. I'm glad to see you guys. It's great to be back in New York." He gave his mom a big hug.

"Let's all get seated at the table. All this food looks absolutely delicious!" Dan loudly announced to their dinner party guests. The Humphrey and van der Woodsen family scattered around the circular table. An elaborate golden tablecloth covered the round table. A small poinsettia decorative plant sat in the middle of the table. Four tall peppermint scented candles were around the poinsettia plant. Dorota and Serena wanted a simple yet elegant table layout. Luckily, the cater came in time early afternoon to drop off Serena's order for her holiday dinner party. Rufus and Allison sat between Jenny and Dan. Across from them, Lily and William were seated between Erik and Serena.

Dan and Serena started passing around plates of food around the table while simultaneously exchanging anxious glances. Everyone started digging into the food on their plates. Having both dynamic families gathered together for dinner, it would be surely be an interesting night. They hoped that tonight they could put aside their petty arguments and disputes to enjoy each other's presence. Let the Christmas festivities begin!

* * *

**_The next chapter will focus mainly on Nate and Vanessa. _**

**_Life has become very busy so I'll do my best to try to update as soon as I can. I have many interesting plot bunnies in store for the characters in Living Life in the Fast Lane. _**

**_Thanks for your patience! Stay tuned!_**


	3. New Beginnings from Past Mistakes

_**It's been awhile since I last updated this story. I wasn't able to find time to work on my fanfiction stories especially with how hectic my semester ****was. ****Being on winter break currently, I've been busily working on this story. I've made significant progress writing Living Life in the Fast Lane! **_

**_Here's my Christmas gift to all of you: the NEXT chapter of Living in the Fast Lane! _****_This chapter primarily focuses Nate and Vanessa! Th_****_is is the longest chapters for this story. This chapter is essentially a flashback to establish the events happening in present day. _**

**_I'd greatly appreciate your constructive feedback! Enjoy! R&amp;R!_**

* * *

**Part 3-New Beginnings from Past Mistakes**

With a huge sigh of relief, Nate collapsed in the back seat of the yellow cab. The meeting with the New York Times editor, Stacy Gounk, dragged on way too long. All his energy has been sapped out of him. Even Stacey's assistant looked burned out by the end of their meeting.

"Where are you going?" the cab driver asked from the driver's seat.

Nate rattled off the address of the SoHo studio he was currently living with Vanessa. He was trying to slowly ease his girlfriend to moving to the Upper East Side. She still remained hesitant from her experiences with wealthy people on the UES. Vanessa was a stubborn person yet very determined to try to compromise with Nate. It had been five years since Nate lived in UES.

_~Five years ago~_

Nate sat at the table cradling his glass of whiskey. Nate had mailed in his RSVP for Dan and Serena's nuptial celebrations earlier that day. "All of my friends are in a relationship, engaged, or married and here I am still single," he murmured sullenly taking a huge gulp of his drink.

The bartender at Blue Moon Pub knew Nate Archibald was regular customer. "Dude, you've got to see the opportunity you've been granted by still being single and handsome. You've been given time to enjoy life before you get settled down with a wife and kids," Timmy commented while wiping down beer jugs.

"I've enjoyed my life enough. I'm sick of visiting bar after bar with woman shamelessly throwing themselves at me. There's got to be more to life than this." Nate downed the remaining contents of the glass and Timmy promptly refilled the glass with more Jack Daniels.

Nate and Timmy were busily chatting away about sport teams when Vanessa strolled through the entrance of Blue Moon Pub. She took a seat at table in the corner booth without even glancing who was sitting at the bar. Running her fingers through her newly dyed hair, Vanessa had returned back home to New York only last week after living in Brazil for the past five years. Her passion was filming and directing her own independent documentaries about the real world outside of the bubble of excessive wealth in foreign countries. Glancing casually at the plastic menu, she was trying to find their vegetarian food options. There was none. She sauntered up the bar and gestured to the bartender. "Excuse me but I didn't see any vegetarian food options listed on you menu," she plainly stated with a hint of irritation in her voice.

Only one person was sitting at the bar. She paid no attention to the bar patron. She was so damn hungry after attending this evening upscale art exhibit in Manhattan. The cater waiters at the art exhibit event only served endless glasses of champagne and appetizers. No substantially filling food items.

Timmy shifted his attention to the woman talking to him. Her wavy light brown hair hung messily around her oval face. A strapless sparkly dress clung to her curvy body. She was a very attractive woman. Hardly any woman came to Blue Moon Pub unless they arrived with a male friend or male significant other. It was rare to see a woman enter the bar by herself without the intention of finding someone to hook up with.

He had no clue what vegetarians ate so he pulled whatever he could out of his head to keep this beautiful female in the bar. "Unfortunately we don't offer any vegetarian dishes on the menu, but I could the kitchen to make up a chicken salad or sandwich," Timmy replied.

"Screw it. I'll take piña colada," Vanessa replied placing her purse on the bar counter as she climbed up on the stool. She had to be careful in her short strapless dress. "Why is this place empty on a Friday night? I thought bars in Manhattan were packed with people."

"This bar isn't known by most New Yorkers. Only wealthy business people tend to come to Blue Moon Pub. It's rather nice to not be stuck in a bar full of young hipsters who embrace the motto 'YOLO'. I'm sick and tired of dealing with that type of crowd at bars," the stranger at the bar responded without looking at her. He kept his gaze on the glass in front of him filled with whiskey. The stranger wore a crisp striped grey suit that was flattered his tall height exquisitely. His straight brown hair was neatly slicked back. The guy had a friendly face from the side.

She straightened the wrinkles from her sequined dress. Thank god the weather was very pleasant this evening. "That's comforting to know I guess. You could be anywhere else on a Friday night and you choose to hang out at Blue Moon Pub. I gather you're a regular customer at this establishment?" Vanessa inquired curiously. Although, there was something about his voice that gave her a strange sense of déjà vu. She could have sworn the voice of this stranger at the bar sounded like she knew someone many years ago. That is absolutely insane. There was no way she knew this random person sitting at the bar.

Timmy slid the piña colada drink over to Vanessa. Removing the decorative umbrella from her alcoholic drink, she took a long sip of the piña colada. An intense fusion of fruity flavors filled her mouth. "Timmy this is one of the best piña colada I've had. What a powerful blend of fruity flavors mixed with rum. This totally makes up for my horrible night," she admitted. There was no point in pretending that she had fantastic time tonight at the upscale art gallery exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"Art galleries were never my thing. I respect people who are passionate about their artistic abilities, but I cannot stand the people who attend art exhibits. Every damn painting or sculpture requires intense analysis! That is completely unnecessary. Why can't people just enjoy the art displayed in an art exhibit?" Nate remarked. From the tone of his voice, Vanessa picked up that this random stranger had plenty of miserable experience attending fancy art exhibits. He must have been born and bred in the Upper East Side society.

"I agree with you. My purpose of going to different art gallery exhibits around New York is to enjoy other people's artwork. Hardcore analysis of art takes the joy out of seeing how people's artistic passions come to life," she firmly asserted while trying to get him to look at her. He hadn't gazed even once at her since they had started conversing. Timmy shook his head at Vanessa. Clearly, the bartender had already attempted to make continuous eye-contact with this customer while they chatted about sports.

Draining his glass of whiskey, he looked down at his watch to check the time. He jumped up an inch from the bar stool. "Oh shit! I didn't realize so many hours had gone. I better start heading home. Thanks for great time, Timmy. I'll see you around another time," Nate exclaimed while pulling out cash to pay for his drinks. He slid a fifty dollar bill on the countertop. He almost forgot to say goodbye to the random woman he was conversing with. "It was great meeting you. I'd recommend a dinner down the block if you're looking for vegetarian food..." he began to say but abruptly froze when he gazed at the woman's face.

His bright blue eyes pierced through her. Vanessa instantly recognized the man's face as he flashed a sexy boyish grin at her. "Nate?" she bellowed. Her brown eyes widened from the pure surprise of running into Nate Archibald. She wasn't sure if she was happy or not to see him.

"Vanessa...is that you?" He knew her voice sounded eerily familiar to him. Everything about her was the same except her shoulder-length auburn brown hair. Her face still looked youthful despite not seeing her in almost _ten_ years! It was completely surreal that he would run into his friend and ex-girlfriend, Vanessa Abrams, at the Blue Moon Pub on a random Friday night in Manhattan. She usually stayed in the Brooklyn only venturing over to Manhattan for a few times during the year.

Timmy arched his eyebrow in curiosity. "You two know each other?" he asked very intrigued with a subtle smirk.

"Long story for another day," Nate tersely replied while trying to keep a neutral facial expression. He wasn't sure how he felt to see Vanessa again after all these years. So many conflicting emotions flooded through him that Nate didn't even check her out from head to toe.

Timmy resumed to cleaning off dirty beer mugs while subtly eavesdropping on this fascinating scene unfolding in front of him. Nate Archibald was full of intriguing secrets. This is why he was one of his favorite regular customers at Blue Moon Pub.

For several minutes, Vanessa and Nate stared at each other in utter shock. There weren't enough words to properly describe the unspoken emotions being silently exchanged between them. She wanted to express how much she had missed Nate these past 10 years. Vanessa had a few boyfriends since she left New York, but she never seemed compatible with them. Eventually, she had given up completely on dating. She remained single with the occasional one-night stand. Despite their growing up in completely different worlds, Vanessa and Nate somehow made a dynamically functional couple. The best of both worlds existed within their complex relationship.

Vanessa was truly speechless. This was a rarity with her very blunt personality. Even Nate, who was very suave with his words, was speechless too. It was Timmy who broke the awkward silence. "It seems you two are the last two customers tonight, so I'm going to close up. There's a 24 hour diner open down the block. That is only eatery open at 1:30 am...besides night clubs. It's great that you guys met each other again after many years! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!"

Silently, Nate and Vanessa walked out of the Blue Moon Pub. The sidewalks were bustling with vibrant nightlife activity. Nate broke the silence. "So when did you return to New York?" he inquired. The curiosity of how long she had been in New York was eating at him the most.

"Two weeks ago I decided to return back home to New York. I've been living in Brazil these past five years. I lived in Madrid for five years before moving to São Paulo. Travelling has given me a great opportunity to experience the beautiful world through the eyes of the unprivileged population. It hasn't been easy living far away from all my friends and family but I needed some time to explore who I was in a completely new environment away from New York," she explained. Knowing Nate, he wanted to know why she chose to be away for so long without saying a proper goodbye to her friends. There was no time to dwell in all her regret.

"Wow. You've surely been on an exciting adventure these past ten years. Each day must have been a fascinating experience," he remarked in a casual tone. The day he Dan told him Vanessa had unexpectedly left New York left Nate full of unanswered questions. Even Dan had no idea what caused her to suddenly move to Madrid, Spain.

Since neither of them felt comfortable talking about their complicated history tonight, Nate and Vanessa stuck with pleasantries about life in general. They didn't discuss any sensitive topics that would bring up their complex past. It was going to take a little time to get used to being themselves around each other.

It took almost three weeks before they could comfortably interact with each other without too much awkward tension. Being away from New York for 10 years, Vanessa had forgotten how much she enjoyed being around Nate. His very charming personality and interesting perspective on life hadn't changed over the years. Nate caught her up on what happened to the Blair, Chuck, Georgina, Uncle Jack, Dan, and Serena in the past 10 years. Also, he told the tumultuous yet fascinating story about the formation and development of his company, The NY Spectator. He had managed to forge his own path. Nathanial went against the destiny set in motion by his grandfather, William van der Bilt. She was very proud of him for creating his own future independent of his family's influence or political ties.

No one except him knew she returned back to New York. It was their little secret. Vanessa actively found art gallery exhibits that both of them would enjoy where there weren't too many snooty or excessively analytical people. Nate was one of the few Upper East Siders who had made an effort to understand her passionate hobby for visiting art galleries. He is the reason she slightly changed her opinion that all Upper East Siders disdainfully looked down on "poor" people who lived over in Brooklyn.

Three months later, it was almost impossible to believe they really struggled maintaining a continuous conversation that wasn't filled with uncomfortable silence. When neither of them had busy schedules, they made an effort to hang out. Nathaniel suggested Vanessa announced her arrival back to New York to their group of friends. Everyone still believed she was travelling the world to pursue her passion of directing and filming indie movies. Dan deserved not be kept completely in the dark. Ever since her departure from New York, he hadn't mentioned nor talked much about Vanessa. It was even more painful for him since Dan and Vanessa were longtime childhood friends. Nate felt horrible being the only person to enjoy her presence while blatantly lying to his friends particularly Dan Humphrey.

It wasn't until another two more months before Vanessa Abrams gained the courage to face her longtime friend, Dan. Nate accompanied her to mediate their conversations. You never knew what to expect with Dan. She was glad to have her friend as her support unit in this huge endeavor. Dan might still be super pissed off at her. Vanessa wanted to rebuild the bridges with her close friends she had burned many years ago upon leaving New York. Baby steps. It was better to ease into anything than jump in head first not knowing what to expect at the bottom. Nate was by her side the entire process of getting reacquainted to life in New York.

It was New Year's Eve. Snow continued to fall gracefully from the sky making a thick blanket all over New York. Vanessa willingly agreed to accompany Nate to the New Year's party hosted by Dan and Serena. It had been many years since she had to worry about dressing up fancy for high-class society functions or charities. Serena was kind enough to take her shopping to Bergdorf Goodman to select an evening gown and shoes for the New Year's Eve gala held in Olmstead Boardroom at The Ritz-Carlton. She persistently reiterated how unnecessary it was, but Serena insisted on treating Vanessa to this shopping trip. Vanessa didn't even bother asking Serena how much her Donna Karan evening gown or Oscar de la Renta heels were. The mere thought of the price of this gorgeous dress and stiletto heels would make her hyperventilate. Serena was kind enough to drop Vanessa at her SoHo apartment using her mother's town car.

The party was only five hours away leaving very little time to get ready before Nate arrived at 9 pm. In only 4.5 hours, Vanessa was all dolled up for tonight's party. Her recently re-dyed dark brown hair was pulled back in a neat bun with a few strands falling into her face. She wore blue diamond stud earrings. Bare Minerals foundations covered her face with very light mascara and no eyeliner. The sparkly midnight eye shadow was the only bold splash of color on her face making her hazel eyes increasingly intense. She decided to keep the entire ensemble simple and elegant while simultaneously being a sexy bombshell. Vanessa straightened her gown while sitting down on the couch and slid her feet into her silver open-toe heels. She was fully ready to go into battle with the wealthy Upper East Siders. Cautiously propping her feet on the glass coffee, a red wine bottle and two wine glasses caught her attention. She poured two glasses of wine while waiting for Nate to pick her up for the party.

Nate opened the door using his spare key. Fixating his gaze on Vanessa, his eyes light up. The form-fitting midnight blue sequined strapless gown accentuated her curvy body, while showing off her toned arms. There weren't enough words to describe how stunningly gorgeous she was from head to toe. Drop dead sexy. "You look absolutely ravishing. It will be difficult keeping my hands off of you the entire night," he remarked with a devious glint in his piercing blue eyes.

"We better start making our way over before Serena unnecessarily worries I pull a disappearing act on her New Year's Eve party. We'll see how the night goes," she replied with seductive undertones.

It had been two weeks since they had last seen each other. The past several months of rekindling their close friendship had begun to stir romantic feelings she had buried deep down more than 10 years ago. Flirtatious remarks and banter had subtly become inserted into their conversational exchanges. Even though they were close friends, she was slightly anxious to suddenly jump into a relationship with Nate. This meant it would require more interaction with people on the Upper East Side. Spending too much time at their extravagant parties and charity functions, the thought made her skin crawl. Almost all of them knew Vanessa Abrahams, an outsider from Brooklyn, would never truly fit in the Upper East Side. Even Daniel Humphrey miraculously convinced everyone he belonged in the world of Upper East Side thanks to his association with the van der Woodsen family. Her mind was slightly comforted there were a few people attending this New Year's Eve party. Pulling her into a comforting embrace, Nate murmured softly in her ear, "Don't let anyone at this party intimidate you. They don't realize what they are missing out by not spending time with you. The cab driver is going to be furious if we keep him waiting any longer. You'll be fine, Vanessa." He lightly kissed the top of her forehead.

Sliding on a knee-length black winter coat to keep warm in the frigid winter weather, Vanessa grabbed her silver clutch purse and slammed the door shut. Luckily, there wasn't too much congestion on the road heading into NYC. Nate insisted on paying the cab fee as they exited the cab. Many people were piling into The Ritz Carlton as Vanessa and Nate skillfully moved with the crowd towards Olmstead Boardroom.

After locating their group of friends lingering amongst the throngs of people, the rest of the evening was really enjoyable. The extreme anxiety building inside of Vanessa quickly waned. Platters full of champagne glasses continuously offered to the party guests definitely helped everyone loosen up even the most pompous and uptight guests. Small circular tables lined the walls leaving a huge space in the middle of the room. Dan pushed through the crowd towards Vanessa and took several blinks to assure he wasn't hallucinating the person in front of his eyes. His longtime friend, Vanessa, actually decided to make it to their New Year's Eve gala. Dan was going to be able to enjoy their party more knowing his closest friend was here. With her back against him, he wanted to greet her using the element of surprise.

Serena and Jenny were so absorbed in their conversation they didn't notice Dan's sudden appearance. Stealthily snaking his toned yet muscular arms around her waist, Dan unexpectedly lifted Vanessa few inches from the ground. "Oh my god," Vanessa squealed an octave higher than her usual speaking tone. "You rascal...how dare you come up behind and scare the shit out of me! Warn me next time please. I would have dropped my champagne glass if your sister hadn't snatched it from my hand in time."

"I'm so fricken happy you decided to come to our New Year's Eve gala. We're both so busy that we hardly get to hang out!" Dan exclaimed jubilantly while slowly placing Vanessa back on solid ground.

Lightly smacking his arm, she replied with a wide grin, "Why would I celebrate New Year's Eve's festivities _without_ my group of friends? Of course I wanted to come tonight. Serena and you planned a fantastic gala! I'm so proud of you, Dan!" She straightened out her dress and tucked the few strands of hair in her face behind her ears. Jenny handed the glass of champagne back to her.

"Who would have imagined that one day my big brother would join the world of the Upper East Side society along with planning and hosting extravagant events?!" Jenny remarked playfully.

"Oh shut up little sis. All three of us have changed over the years more than we could have ever imagined when we lived in Brooklyn. Upper East Side didn't necessarily transform us in a bad way. We now co-exist in two different worlds," Dan stated while lovingly punching her arm. Despite their difficulties being siblings, Jennifer and Daniel Humphrey still remained very close to each other and their father, Rufus.

Serena and Nathaniel moved through the masses of party guests absorbed in their own conversational exchanges. Rufus and Lily followed closely behind them while politely moving past people without rudely pushing them aside.

"Vanessa?" Rufus startlingly exclaimed. "I'm so glad you joined us tonight as we celebrate ringing in 2017! I haven't seen you in years. You look great. You still work at art galleries in Manhattan?"

"Actually I'm currently working on opening up my own art gallery. It is truly tiring to work with closed-minded art gallery owners who cannot see my perspective of art. I want to represent up and coming artists that reflect my artistic passion and perspective on life. Sometimes art gallery owners find them not sophisticated enough to be shown to the public. Working all those years at your gallery, it taught me how to find true talent among the massive horde of artistic talents available to us."

"I'm sure you'll find your own success with the art gallery. It makes me happy I passed on great wisdom in art to you all those years ago. Our family is so proud of what you've accomplished in life," Rufus stated while a huge smile. Rufus always considered Vanessa Abraham to be the second daughter he never had. She had spent so much time with the Humphreys she was practically part of their family.

"I see you took my wise advice to hold your New Year's Eve gala at The Ritz-Carlton. This is one the best places in New York to hold such a huge function. You and Daniel did a phenomenal job of planning, coordinating, and hosting tonight's festivities. I've trained you both very well," Lily stated proudly. Once known for being an extremely awkward outsider in their exclusively elite society, Daniel Humphrey surpassed the expectation of well-known wealthy families on the Upper East Side. He was just like his father. They never forgot where they came from. The Humphreys were still fairly down-to-earth even after their advancement in New York society. It took many years before Lily realized Dan was the best person for her daughter. She witnessed him transform from a free-spirited young adult into a reformed gentlemen who could simultaneously blended into the UES and Brooklyn.

Blair shoved through the crowd to her best friend, Serena van der Woodsen, regardless of the irritated glances from the party guests. Unfortunately, her husband was away on an impromptu business trip in Shanghai and would only return in four days. Chuck and Uncle Jack had to leave earlier this week to take care of an important business deal regarding Bass Industries. Their stressful duties as President and Vice President of Bass Industries sometimes took higher priority over their personal lives. He felt so guilty leaving Blair and Henry to celebrate New Year's festivities by themselves. Her mother and stepfather, Cyrus, were their babysitting their 8 month old grandson tonight. Spending the evening with her friends, it was a good distraction from sulking over Chuck not being by her side. She enthusiastically hugged Serena. Serena and Blair were busily chatting away they hardly noticed the bursting energy erupting from the crowd.

"Holy shit...only 20 minutes till the new year!" Jenny shouted loudly over the loud masses of people gathered within the room.

Her announcement garnered a reaction from the group.

"Wow...three and half hours flew by faster than I thought," Nate remarked. Despite losing track of how much champagne and whiskey was consumed, he was still semi-sober. It took quite an effort to become really drunk thanks to his high alcohol tolerance. He grabbed two glasses of champagne from a tray nearby and handed one glass to Vanessa. "Let's all make a toast before we countdown to the new year!"

The rest of the group got another glass of champagne and directed their attention back to Nathaniel. "Life has given us our fair share of hardships over the years. We confronted these hardships head on and overcame them. Here's to 2017 being a year of adventures and prosperity!"

_Clink. Clink. Clink. Clink._ Everyone toasted each other. Some drained the champagne in one chug, while others slowly savored their champagne. The highly celebratory mood of their environment could make a completely sober person drunk with a sense of happiness.

Ten minutes before midnight, Serena and Dan headed to the front of the room each of them grabbed a microphone.

Dan decided to test the microphone by tapping it. Loud, squealing feedback echoed from the speakers in all four corners as it reverberated through the entire room. Many party guests cringed as they looked around locating the origin of the sound. All heads turned to their attention to the front of the room.

"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you all. The New Year is almost upon us. My wife is going to make a quick toast before the New Year rings in. The floor is yours, Serena," Dan said while nervously running his hand through his curly hair. Some nervous habits never go away no matter how much you try. Despite his minor screw-ups, Dan had successfully hosted his first high society party. He was quite proud of this feat that seemed very rigorously exhausting three months ago.

The waiters passed out platters of more champagne glasses to guests who needed refills for the toast.

"We've had ups and downs this year but many of us are lucky to have support systems made up of family and friends no matter how dysfunctional it can be. Don't let your past mistakes or past histories rule your future. While it isn't easy to start with a clean slate, it is important to acknowledge your strengths. Do what you can that is within your power to not let your weaknesses decide how your life goes. Failure is not an option. I wish you all prosperity and perseverance through whatever storms in life throws at you. Let's toast to the new year!" Dan and Serena clanked their glasses together and took few sips of champagne.

_Clink. Clink_. This sound resonated through the entire room. Many were already semi-drunk at this point of the New Year's Eve party.

Everyone resumed their conversations waiting for the Times Square ball to drop. The room buzzed with excitement as people slowly started counting down from 60 seconds. Vanessa couldn't remember the last time the Humphreys peacefully co-existed in the same room let alone at a lavish Upper East Side festivity. Her friends surrounded her on all sides. Anxiety no longer thrived within her. A sense of optimism blossomed within her. It wouldn't necessarily be bad to re-blend back into Upper East Side society when her supportive friends had her back. She hardly paid attention as the party guests counted down from 20 seconds. For the first time in a long time, Vanessa Abrams was genuinely enjoying herself. Some people and things don't change despite being abroad for ten years.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!" Dan and Serena simultaneously exclaimed enthusiastically into their microphones.

People were hugging and kissing all around her. Before Vanessa had the opportunity to wish her friends Happy New Years, two strong hands grasped her waist, spun her around, and planted a firm kiss on her lips. Startled by the surprise kiss, Vanessa broke the kiss to glance at the person's face. The first thing she saw was piercing blue eyes and a seductively boyish grin. His irresistibly fresh cologne filled her nostrils. Nathaniel Archibald. There were so many things she wanted to say but struggled to coherently form proper sentences. Very few guys could make her swoon with a mere kiss.

"Happy New Year, Nate," Vanessa spoke without fumbling over her words. Her beaming smile grew wider. For some unknown reason, it felt right being with Nate. There was no way to explain why.

"Happy New Year, Vanessa Abrahams. I'm glad you decided to accompany me to tonight's party. Welcome back home to New York," Nate whispered in her ear as he hugged Vanessa.

Without hesitation, she hugged him back while gently resting her head on his chest. Vanessa didn't feel like an outsider tonight at her friend's New Year Eve Celebration at The Ritz-Carlton.

Their intimate moment was interrupted as Jenny playfully smacked Nate's shoulder. "You can't hog Vanessa all to yourself, lover boy. We would like to spent time with her too."

"For now but later she is all mine," he suggestively remarked with a devious glint in his blue eyes.

"What you do in your free-time in your business entirely," Jenny quipped with a neutral facial expression.

No one saw the light blush spreading across Vanessa's face as it was buried in Nate's chest. Nate let go of Vanessa. She straightened out her dress. Jenny firmly grabbed Vanessa's wrist and slowly guided through the crowd.

Dan and Serena weaved through the crowd back to their friends and family. Dan hugged Vanessa. "Great job planning and hosting your own Upper East Side extravaganza, Dan! The kid from Brooklyn has adapted well to UES society. Just don't ever let that Brooklyn kid disappear," she said with a light chuckle.

"How could I ever forget that Brooklyn kid? My family is a constant reminder that I can never escape it. It keeps me humble so I don't get an inflated ego," he replied with a huge grin.

The party livened more after midnight. Another hour flew by as Vanessa caught up with the gang and guzzled down a few more glasses of champagne. There was much laughter and smiles. Everyone looked like they genuinely having a blast. The ballroom was still buzzing with vibrant energy despite half of the party guest remaining. The DJ blasted upbeat songs all throughout the early morning hours. Dan and Serena joined the other party guests on the dance floor. Jenny, Blair, Nate, and Vanessa slowly got on the dance floor. Vanessa couldn't recall the last time she had this much fun.

Back during their high school and college years, she didn't particularly like Chuck or Blair. It seems that time had made them much more likeable. Miracles can happen. It was hard to believe that these people were very unbearable to deal with almost ten years ago. Blair had even generously offered Vanessa the opportunity to join Serena and her for their monthly brunch. It felt almost surreal.

Not too long afterwards, Vanessa decided it was time to head back to her apartment. She wasn't completely drunk but was soon reaching that point. There was very little soberness remaining. Yet, she hadn't felt this much clarity about her life in many years. It was undeniable to ignore her intense chemistry with Nate. Whenever his hands ran along her bare shoulders and back, it sent an electrifying shudder through her body. His glances devoured her without trying to deny his strong desire. She'd been hesitant about jumping into a relationship too early after returning back home to New York. Whatever happened after this party, Vanessa refused to overthink things. Living in the moment was going to be her new motto this year.

The Humphreys, van der Woodsens, Nate, and Vanessa were the last ones to leave the Ritz-Carlton ballroom. Confetti was sprinkled all over the floor. Nothing was broken luckily so Dan and Serena weren't liable for any damages. All party guests definitely enjoyed themselves at tonight's New Year festivity. Numerous glasses sat on the small circular tables around the edges of the room. Snaking his arm around Vanessa's waist, he escorted her out of the Ritz-Carlton to flag down a cab. There wasn't too much demand for cabs at 2:30 am since most New Year celebrators were still out partying or already back home.

Vanessa and Nate slid into backseat of the yellow cab. She didn't make eye contact too long with Nate. She wasn't sure whether to invite or not invite him up to her apartment. Resting her head comfortably on his shoulder, Nate told her interesting stories about running his own company, The Spectator. It was truly fascinating to hear each other talk about their line of work especially considering their drastically stark contrasts.

Nate paused momentarily to gaze at Vanessa. Her hazel eyes sparkled full of joy as her fingers intertwined with his. She wasn't going to wait until some other girl stole Nate from her. Nate took this as a good indication. Brushing some stray hairs falling into her eyes, he leaned in slowly closing the space between them. Vanessa reciprocated and leaned in until only a few inches separated their faces. "You sure you want this, Vanessa?" Nate inquired with a serious undertone in his voice. "If you need more time I'm willing to wait because you're worth it."

"I'm tired of over thinking everything I do. I've missed out on many wonderful opportunities in my life because of it. It feels right to be with you," she responded while maintaining steady eye contact with him. Without hesitation, Vanessa kissed Nate. The cab driver paid no attention to what was happening behind him as Broadway tunes continued playing on the radio.

Twenty minutes later, the yellow cab stopped right in front of Vanessa's SoHo apartment. Nate paid the cab fare and followed closely behind Vanessa. Grabbing his hand, she guided him through the main lobby towards the elevator. As the elevator doors closed behind them, Nate pinned her against the wall with a firm grasp on her waist. There was no space between their bodies. She snaked her arms around his neck as Nate softly kissed her neck. Neither of them cared if the elevator had cameras that security guards were monitoring. Vanessa dashed out of the elevator as the doors opened as Nate casually sauntered behind her. He admired her body in her form-fitting strapless gown.

Once the apartment door shut behind them, Nate slide off his tuxedo jacket along with his tie tossing it on the couch and Vanessa slipped out of her silver open-toe Oscar de la Renta stilettos. Her neat bun had become a messy bun within the past hour especially after her brief make-out session in the back seat of the cab. Giving up on keeping her neat bun, Vanessa let her wavy shoulder hair loose. She seductively unzipped her strapless dress until it fell to the ground in a puddle. She was now only wearing a black lacy bra with matching panties. Nate flashed his famous sexy boyish grin and lustfully scanned her from head to toe. He effortlessly picked her up in his arms carrying her off to the bedroom.

She wasted no time to get on top and straddle him when Nate laid her on the bed. His hands caressed her thighs. Nate still hadn't lost his touch. "You still have too much clothes on," she remarked with a devious smirk. Vanessa proceeded to unbutton his shirt when he grasped her hand and rolled on top of her. Nate undid rest of the buttons and threw his shirt haphazardly on the ground. Vanessa ran her hands along his muscular chest exploring all of its concaves and ridges. Nathaniel Archibald was still smoking hot as if time had hardly affected his physique. Not holding back anything back Nate passionately kissed Vanessa while letting his hands explore her body. Their bodies molded to each other perfectly. Their blazing chemistry proved that even ten years apart couldn't fizzle their feelings for each other. Hours later, their sweaty naked bodies were entwined in the bed sheets. Her head rested comfortably against his shoulder as Nate instinctively wrapped his arms around Vanessa.

"I'm glad that you were the first person I unexpectedly encountered upon my arrival back to New York. We've been given another chance to be together. No matter what happens I know you will be there by my side and I'll always be here for you, Nate Archibald," Vanessa whispered in his ear. Nate grinned from ear to ear then tenderly kissed the top of her forehead while stroking her soft hair.

* * *

**_Check out my author page at the section dedicated to this Gossip Girl fanfiction story for a link to see what the Donna Karan evening gown Vanessa wore looks like!_**

**_The next chapter focuses on Nate and Vanessa again... it picks back up with present day five years after this flashback!_**

**_I'll do my best to update the next chapter of Living Life in the Fast Lane as soon as possible. _**

**_Thanks for your patience! Stay tuned!_**

**_MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)_**


	4. No Rest for the Naughty or Nice

_**I haven't updated this story since December. My school semester has kept me very busy but I find small pockets of time to work on my fanfiction stories.**_

_**Here's the next chapter to Living Life In The Fast Lane! This is another long chapter that focuses primarily on Nate and Vanessa in present day. If you need a slight reminder regarding the Nate/Vanessa reunion check out the previous chapter New Beginnings to Past Mistakes!**_

_**I'd greatly appreciate your constructive feedback! R&amp;R! **_

* * *

**Part 4: No Rest for the Naughty or Nice**

To say Vanessa was stressed out, this was a _huge _understatement! Her new art gallery exhibit was scheduled in only _one_ week. The featured artist, Sydney Moore, was still doing finishing touches on the last few art pieces. She didn't appreciate how Sydney hadn't completed all her artwork for this exhibit. Planning an Upper East Side holiday dinner party, her anxiety was _increasingly_ heightened. The event planner, Natalie Parlere, working with her was anything but soothing her nerves. Natalie was _supposedly_ one of the best Upper East Side event planners. Her inner Brooklyn girl was freaking out the entire time she had been planning this dinner party for the past month. She truly understood the pressure of planning and hosting an UES event. Nate hadn't interfered in the dinner party planning thankfully. Vanessa was at wits end with life in general. Christmas festivities were drawing to an end soon.

The NY Spectator opening in Chicago was successful. It went off without a hitch! Despite all the hardships encountered over the years, his company had exponentially grown within ten years. It was truly a dream come true. Nathaniel Fitzwilliam Archibald had escaped his predestinated fate to enter the complex world of politics. Van Der Bilt men legacies included their careers as politicians and being a good family man. Nate learned to stand up against his grandfather, William van der Bilt. One did not simply fight their destiny. He had absolutely no interest in politics. Eventually, William gave up pushing his agendas on his favorite grandson. Nate was able to forge his own destiny independent of his family's influence. His mother and father were wholly supportive of her son striving to make his company thrive.

The opening ceremonies for the unveiling of new NY Spectator office in Chicago had finished earlier than expected. This meant he could fly back to New York a day early. The past couple months Nate had been very cautious not to step on any land mines that would potentially set off his girlfriend since Vanessa was emotionally volatile. It was not a simple task for her to embrace into Upper East Side society and customs. He decided to rent out his apartment on the Upper East Side and move in with Vanessa. Every day had its challenges, but it was definitely worth it. All these years, Nathaniel had been waiting for the right person to come into his life except it turns out that not how it worked. The right girl needed to return back into his life. Vanessa Abrahams.

The flight arrived into JFK Airport on time luckily. Aimlessly staring out the cab window, the neon lights on the buildings blurred past him. He refused to read any work-related e-mails on the way back to their apartment. Vanessa had been extremely busy lately since their Christmas dinner party was in three days. Only their close friends and family would be attending. Unfortunately, there was still going to lots of guests at their Christmas party. Nate was meeting Vanessa's parents and older sister for the first time. It was a bit nerve wrecking. He never met them even when they dated many years ago. It was important _both_ families approved of their relationship. Otherwise, it was would never work out in the long run despite all their best efforts.

Opening to the door, he quietly rolled his travel suitcase inside the SoHo apartment. Vanessa lounged on the couch fast asleep while the TV was still on. Lately, she would unwind after a hectic day of party planning by watching TV. He moved his suitcase into the bedroom and changed out of his business attire into comfortable clothing. Scooping Vanessa into his arms, Nate sauntered back to the bedroom. Sleep would do them a world of good considering how crazy stressful their lives were nowadays.

He hardly saw his girlfriend the next day. Being a film connoisseur, Vanessa had so much inspiration for the concept of the Christmas dinner party. Nate had no doubt she had planned a spectacular party. It would be great to finally be able to spend quality time with Vanessa after this dinner party. The holiday festivities were meant for family and friends to be together, but that wasn't necessarily true about the Upper East Side residents. It had been almost three and half months since they had gone out on a date. Their work schedules kept them extremely busy. Nate and Vanessa only found time in the late evenings to spend time together if their schedules allowed some downtime. Life was so damn hectic for both of them. Holiday parties only created additional unnecessary stress. Everybody was required to fulfill their various duties.

The next two days flew by as they resumed their normal activities. The day of the Christmas party had finally arrived. It was difficult to tell whether Vanessa or Nate was more anxious about tonight's event. Each of them was nervous for their own reasons.

Nate decided to wear his favorite charcoal grey suit with a festive Christmas tie tonight. Vanessa stood in front of the tall oval mirror all dolled up in a Tadashi Shoji smoked pearl cocktail dress and sparkly silver stiletto heels. As the hostess of tonight's party, she aimed to find a tastefully gorgeous cocktail dress embracing the celebratory Christmas spirit. Nate and Vanessa decided to invite only close friends and family since this was Vanessa's first time planning and hosting an UES Christmas party. Nate's grandfather was kind enough to let them host their party tonight at his house in the Hamptons. It provided a more intimate setting away from the city. She took a series of deep breathes to calm her nerves. Her older sister, Ruby, and parents were coming tonight. This only added to her anxiety about this Christmas party going off _without_ a hitch.

While he waited for Vanessa, Nate stretched out on the couch watching ESPN. The bedroom door finally opened and she stepped out. No matter what happens Vanessa knew she planned a kick-ass Christmas party that paid homage both the Upper East Side and Brooklyn.

"I'm ready. Let's go if we want to beat the city traffic," Vanessa stated while nervously tucking a few strands of stray hair behind her ears.

Rising from the couch, he picked up their coats and moved closer towards Vanessa. "You look absolutely stunning. The Hamptons are surely in for a whirlwind surprise. I'm so proud of everything you've done for tonight's party," he said giving her hand a comforting squeeze. In the lobby area, they bundled up in their coat, scarf, and gloves. Nate's grandfather graciously lent them his spare town car for the evening's merriments. The chauffer opened the door for Vanessa and Nate as they slid into the spacious back seat. There was conveniently a mini-bar. Nate poured two glasses of scotch handing one glass to his girlfriend. She happily accepted the drink.

"Here's to a fun evening with all our close friends and families," she toasted holding her glass in the air.

Nate clinked his glass with hers and replied with a huge grin, "I'll toast to that!"

Two and a half hours later, the town car pulled up in the circular driveway of the huge Hampton estate. It never ceased to amaze Vanessa how big some of the Hampton houses were. Nate had often come here when he was younger for Christmas dinners with his mom side of the family. Small decorative wreaths hung on each of the windows facing the front of the house. The staff was scattered around the house running last-minute tasks. Gold and silver tinsel were entwined around the winding stairway railings and bannisters. Much of the interior was still the same except for some jovial Christmas decorations. Vanessa knew there was no way her party could top the other Upper East Side Christmas parties. She decided to keep things the simple, instead of making their festivity too elaborate.

Within thirty minutes, their guests started to arrive. Dan and Serena were first to show up. Dan shook the snow off his coat before stepping into the foyer. He helped his six-month pregnant wife up the stairs and into the foyer. Serena had ditched wearing any kind of heels after 16 weeks into her pregnancy. Flat shoes were her best friend and most comfortable. The four of them headed to the sunroom. The couches were angled around the Christmas tree located in the middle of the room. A small train set continuously ran under the tree. Vanessa added her own person touch to the Christmas tree. The bronze angel topper on top of the tree had been part of her family's tradition since she was a young child. A collection of pictures of their close friends and family cut out in the different shape handmade ornaments attached to red and green ribbons sat amongst the other traditional ornaments. Vanessa wanted to keep the traditional aspects of Christmas while still adding meaningful sentiment.

Nate and Dan chatting about work related things. "Did you feel a sense of relief when you woke up this morning knowing it was the day of your Christmas party? All those months of intense preparing and planning, the day has finally arrived," Serena remarked.

"Honestly, I woke up feeling mixed emotions. The stress of pulling this off without a hitch is still there, but I'm happy with what I've planned. I'm not going to let my perfectionism ruin tonight's festivities," Vanessa replied. She anxiously played the hem of her dress.

Soothingly placing her hand over Vanessa's, Serena said, "Don't be anxious. I'm sure everything will fall into place well. I love how you added your own personal touch to your party. You never forgot where you came from. That's what makes Dan and you so down-to-earth even after becoming more involved the world of the Upper East Side."

"Thanks, Serena. It means a lot for you to say that. It hasn't been easy to adjust to the Upper East Side since I returned back to New York ten years ago. I don't know how I'd cope if it weren't for wonderful people in my life like Nate and you. I'd be so lost." Vanessa genuinely didn't know how she'd blend back into the realm of the Upper East Side without Serena van der Woodsen and _especially_ her devoted boyfriend, Nathaniel Archibald.

Serena took a sip of her sparkling apple cider. Only two more months and she could have normal coffee and tea! She'd been drinking non-caffeinated coffee and tea for the past six months. "Nonsense. You adjusted very well into the Upper East Side _without_ our help. You're a strong independent woman who knows exactly what she wants in life. Your success doesn't depend on a guy which not all Upper East Side women can say."

"I'm glad my art gallery is successfully blossoming since it opened up a few months ago. All of the support from everyone has kept me going even at times I wanted to give up. I'm scared to move back to Upper East Side, but I do want to meet Nate halfway. It isn't fair to keep him away from his friends and family. It's been five years since he moved into my SoHo loft apartment. All of the planning and preparations for this Christmas party has been a good distraction from thinking about moving out of SoHo." Vanessa had been contemplated of moving back to Nate's former Upper East Side penthouse for his 34th birthday. There was no fun in being stagnant in life. Change wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Within twenty minutes, the rest of their party guests arrived. Rufus, Allison, Jenny, and Jenny's daughter piled out of their Mercedes Benz. Rufus handed the car keys to the valet waiting at the entrance of the circular driveway. The Humphreys let Vanessa in on their secret about Rosalyn being Jenny's daughter since she was practically part of their family. Dropping off their winter outerwear in the cloakroom, they walked through the foyer into the sunroom. Dan greeted his parents, sister, and niece with a bear hug. Rosalyn, who preferred to be called Natasha or Tasha, opted to sit by herself in the family room area. She listened to her music with noise-cancelling headphones as she escaped to her own little world. Clearly, she would rather be anywhere but there. Jenny hoped her daughter would ditch her angst phase soon. Vanessa took no offense to this since it wasn't easy being the only teenager at an Upper East Side Christmas party. The other guest was either way younger or older than her, so there were no teenager children to hang out with.

Vanessa chatted with Rufus as they exchanged interesting stories about managing their own art gallery. Allison caught up with her son. She had been so busy travelling around Europe with some of her artsy friends for the past two months. Rufus didn't mind his wife being in Europe for two months. While their Hudson apartment was very quiet, this was a good opportunity for him to work on some new music for his band, Lincoln Hawk. Lincoln Hawk was scheduled for an upcoming summer tour for their new album coming out in June. He made more than enough income between the Lincoln Hawk gigs and his art gallery in Brooklyn. While Rufus and Allison reconciled their differences and changed their separated status back to married, Rufus never truly forgave his "wife" for leaving him and the children for another man fifteen years ago. Allison and Rufus lived in the same apartment, but went on with their own _separate_ lives. Despite the dysfunctional dynamics within the Humphrey household, they remained a close knit family unit and always came together for the major holidays.

Blair, Chuck, and their two young children entered the foyer area. Blair's mother and stepfather, Eleanor and Cyrus, followed closely behind them. Jack Bass and his girlfriend, Georgina, along with her son, Milo, were thankfully spending Christmas this year in Aspen. Vanessa and Nate were glad to not have to deal with Georgina Sparks this Christmas especially since it was their first year they were hosting a Christmas dinner party. It felt great to be surrounded by their close friends. Neither Nate's nor Vanessa's family had arrived yet. Anxiety began to manifest within them. Vanessa had a complicated history with Nathaniel's extended family especially his grandfather and cousin, Tripp van der Bilt. Vanessa's mother didn't entirely approve of her association with Upper East Side society. Yet, she always wanted her daughter to be happy whatever choice she made for her life. It would be interesting to see how the Abrams and Archibald family interacted together considering the vastly different dynamics and lifestyles of their families. The Abram family embraced a down-to-earth, hippy lifestyle in Brooklyn, while the Archibald family embraced an elite, upper class lifestyle in Manhattan.

Nathaniel was deep in conversation with Blair and Chuck when his mother and father, Anne and Howard Archibald, strolled into the family room. "Nathaniel," his mother jubilantly exclaimed as she wrapped her son in a warm embrace. He hugged his mother back. "You look well, son. I'm sorry your father and I arrived a bit late. There was a crazy traffic jam on the way over here." Nate was closer to his mom than his father. There was way too much tumultuous history between his dad, "The Captain", and him. The Captain had a long complicated history with the law including spending a few years in prison for embezzlement and possession of drugs.

"No worries, mom. Travelling out of the city on Christmas Eve it isn't uncommon to run into many traffic jams on the road especially coming to the Hamptons. Grandfather told me to send his regards since was unable to come tonight," Nate said. As much as he loved his grandfather, it was better to not have him there at their Christmas party. Nathaniel had a massive falling out with his cousin, Tripp, almost ten years ago. Tripp was always jealous of the affection their grandfather showed him. No one said family was easy to deal with.

Giving a pat of approval on his son's shoulder, he commented as his tone of voice changed from affectionate to irritated, "Everyone looks fantastic. I have no doubt you and your girlfriend have planned a spectacular Christmas party. We would have arrived on time if your mother hadn't taken a century to get ready." Anne shot her ex-husband an angry glare in response to his snide remark.

Nate knew when his parents were about to start a full-blown argument. This is _not_ how he wanted the evening to start out at their Christmas dinner party. Before the Captain could reply to his ex-wife, Nate immediately interjected, "Let's not start blaming one another. We're all here to celebrate Christmas with the people we care about. Let us all try to get along with each other tonight."

"That all depends on your father's behavior," Anne firmly stated then turning her glower towards the Captain. "I will not tolerate any of your nonsense tonight, Howard." His father merely rolled his eyes at her comment.

While Nate was dealing with his parents, Vanessa's face broke out in a wide grin as her parents, Arlo and Gabriella, and older sister, Ruby, sauntered toward the sunroom. She ran towards them hugging each of them. They hadn't seen Vanessa since Thanksgiving. Her busy schedule of running an independent art gallery and intensely planning an Upper East Side Christmas party with the event planner from hell gave her very limited opportunities to visit her family in Brooklyn. They approved of Vanessa's passion for pursuing an artistic career path _more than_ her relationship with Nate Archibald. The family environment she grew up in formed her deep cynicism for the upper class elite New York society. There were only a few people in her life who were the exceptions to her opinion of the Upper East Side.

The Christmas festivities could finally start since all 17 party guests were present! Things were definitely going to be interesting tonight. Nate found his way over to Vanessa. "It looks like everyone is here. The catering staff is ready to serve dinner to the guests. Let's make the announcement for dinner together," Nate suggested holding out his hand to her. Vanessa nodded her head in acknowledgement and grabbed a hold of his hand. Tonight's holiday dinner party was their official introduction into Upper East Side society as a couple.

Vanessa whistled loudly to garner the attention of their party guests busily chattering away with one another. All heads turned away from their conversation towards Vanessa and Nate. "Hello everyone! Vanessa and I are so glad you decided to join us this evening on Christmas Eve. Let's head to the dining room for a Christmas feast. Let the festivities begin!" Nate enthusiastically proclaimed to their guests.

An hour and a half, their party guest gobbled down almost all of the food on the table even saving room for the many options of dessert items. Never-ending servings of wine and champagne helped to loosen up their friends and family making them more amicable. Vanessa was genuinely shocked to see her parents and older sister making effort to make conversation with her boyfriend's parents without any eye rolls or snarky remarks thrown at Anne and Howard Archibald. This was definitely progress considering her family's strong distain for the "shameless and corrupt" Upper East Side residents. The Captain had invited Vanessa to join them for their monthly family dinner gatherings a few months ago in an attempt to get to know his son's girlfriend. Yet, Vanessa was hesitant because of the rocky history she had with Nate's maternal side of the family. Nathaniel emphasized to his family he refused to break up with Vanessa. There was no one else he would rather be with. This wasn't a meaningless relationship despite his family's insistence of understanding the big picture. She had always been supportive of his independence to pursue ambitious future goals. Nate wouldn't have his family push or intimidate Vanessa out of his life. There were definitely lines even his screwed-up and complex family couldn't cross _without_ facing Nathaniel's wrath. He was fiercely protective of his loved ones. His parents were surprisingly very supportive of their son's decision to pursue a serious relationship with Vanessa Abrams. Nate reduced his association with his maternal side of the family by maintaining a healthy distance away from their conniving schemes to sway his career more towards the world of politics. Even his mother has slowly severed ties with her family especially after being cut off from her family when Howard Archibald was arrested by the FBI eleven years ago. Anne's father, William van der Bilt I, wouldn't let their son-in-law's reckless actions tarnish the glorious reputation of the van der Bilt name.

Being an Upper East Side socialite and philanthropist, Anne Archibald enjoyed pursuing her hobby of interior design which included a passion for art. Vanessa had found a common ground with Nate's mother since planning luxurious grand Upper East Side events didn't interest her at all. If she spent more time with his parents, they would see Vanessa was the best person to be with their son. Vanessa Abrams would have to get used to Anne and Howard Archibald being in her life if Nate ever asked her to marry him someday. Nate and Vanessa were career-driven people who respected the heavy emphasis placed on advancing their individual careers through ambitious life goals. Yet, their serious relationship had never entirely ruled out the possibility of marriage. Marriage would be the next step in their relationship. Nate and Vanessa would take this plunge only when they were both emotionally ready.

Having a wonderful time with their close friends and family members, this reminded Vanessa that she could no longer stall on the decision of whether or not to move to the Upper East Side with her boyfriend. While Nate freely chose to move in with Vanessa in SoHo five years ago, he very much missed Upper East Side. It was where he was born and bred. Nathaniel could never forget where he came. Almost all of Nate's friends and family members resided in the Upper East Side with the exception of Jenny Humphrey who lived in a Brooklyn loft. He loved his girlfriend and was very committed to their relationship, but he felt cut off from his other support systems. Everyone had their own busy lives and hectic work schedules making it increasingly difficult to meet up frequently. Vanessa had resided in her SoHo apartment ever since she left São Paulo to return back to New York a decade ago. The SoHo apartment had been one steady constant in her life she knew that would never unexpectedly change. It wasn't good to live life constantly fearful of drastic change. Sometimes you had to leave your secure comfort zone to move forward in life. Many wonderful opportunities can escape when you're too frightened to abandon your comfort zone. Her fear wouldn't hold her back in life anymore. Vanessa Marigold Abrams was going to write a new chapter in her life.

Laughter and joy manifested within the dining room among all the party guests who put their arguments and personal differences aside for one night of the year. Even Blair Waldorf's two children, Adeline and Henry, were getting along with each other as their eyes light up joyfully. No matter how complicated Upper East Side society was, there were at least a few people you could call your support system outside of your immediate family.

The cater waiters efficiently removed the plates and cutlery from everyone at the long oval table. Everyone decided to continue the jubilant festivities in the spacious family room. The fireplace in the center of the room enveloped the room in toasty warmth.

Vanessa had made her decision and didn't want to wait until Nate's 34th birthday in April to tell him. There was no better way to announce her shocking news than in front of all their close friends and families. No would expect Vanessa Abrams, an outsider from Brooklyn, to leave her cocoon of comfortable sameness and move to the Upper East Side with her boyfriend, Nathaniel Archibald. A relationship was about two people making compromises even if it meant leaving your comfort zone.

Jenny was bouncing off some ideas for her Spring 2022 Collection for her clothing line, J for Waldorf. Vanessa wasn't entirely paying attention as she was deeply lost in her own thoughts. Placing her hand on Jenny's shoulder, she said abruptly, "I'm so sorry to cut you off, but I need to go check on the catering waiters. The post-dinner snacks should have been out by now." This was the only excuse to give her a few moments to calm down before making her big announcement to all her friends and family including Nate. Serena would be only person who wouldn't be too surprised by her announcement. Taking a huge deep breath, she nervously ran her fingers through her hair and proceeded back to the living room. Everyone was engrossed in their own conversations they didn't notice Vanessa in the center of the room. Loudly whistling, people's head turned in her direction.

"Hope all of you are having a good time. I've been trying to figure out when to announce my big news. There's no better place or time like right now surrounded by my friends and family," Vanessa began. Her heart was violently beating against her rib cage. She wasn't sure how everyone would react to her announcement. Should she ease into her big news or just say it already? There was no point in stalling any longer. "There will be a new arrival to the Upper East Side," she declared confidently grinning ear to ear.

Her parents and sister stared at her with mixed curiosity. Vanessa couldn't quite read their facial expressions.

"Oh my god! Are you pregnant?" Jenny exclaimed enthusiastically.

Surprised gasps and low whispers echoed around the room along. Many smiling faces gazing back at her. Her family was not too amused by this news. Nate's blue eyes intensely stared her. Oh shit. This is not how Vanessa imagined this would go. She had to quickly remedy this before her announcement got blown out of proportion unnecessarily.

"Are you opening up a new art gallery on the Upper East Side?" Daniel mused aloud. While this sounded more logical than being pregnant, Vanessa needed to kill all speculation of what her big news meant.

To regain control of this situation before it spiraled out of control, "I'm _not_ pregnant or opening up another art gallery!" Vanessa retorted in a neutral tone. "I realize my announcement was very vague. I am going to clarify what I meant exactly. All relationships require people to sometimes make compromises to make the other person happy. Ever since I moved back to New York almost ten years ago, I've been so afraid to venture out of SoHo. Nothing wrong with being comfortable in life, but it isn't good to shun out change. It is time for some change in my life. Nate and I will be moving to the Upper East Side. Happy early 34th birthday gift, Nate!"

Her boyfriend sprang off the couch towards Vanessa. Nate enveloped his girlfriend in a hearty bear hug and firmly kissed her lips. "I wasn't sure you'd agree to move back to the Upper East Side with me. This is really fantastic news!" Nathaniel replied with a wide grin. His piercing blue eyes light up with pure bliss.

Arlo, Gabrielle, and Ruby Abrams remained seated staring at her in sheer shock. Neither of them truly knew how to react to this surprising announcement. Everyone else got up from their seats to congratulate the happy couple.

"The Upper East Side hasn't been without you, Archibald," Chuck stated giving a friendly pat on Nate's shoulder. "I'm sure Vanessa will get adjusted somehow even it is drastically different from Brooklyn and SoHo. She's resilient."

"Not that I was too SoHo was too far away. I'll be closer to all my friends and parents. Also the daily commute to the Spectator will be much shorter," Nate responded.

Blair sauntered over to them. "I agree with my husband," she said while simultaneously maintaining sight on her two children out of the corner of her eyes. "It's nice that I don't have to venture to SoHo to see my friend. Way too many artsy hipsters with tortured souls in SoHo for my personal liking. Upper East Side will _always_ be your home."

Jenny, Dan, and their father flocked towards Vanessa. "Welcome to the dark side, Abrams," Dan jokingly teased. "It won't be too difficult to adapt in the Upper East Side society. You've been a part of it for many years. I'm so proud of you for making this bold decision."

"We're all so proud of you. Vanessa Abrams is going up the social ladder," Jenny commented. "You'll adjust just fine. You're pretty familiar with Upper East Side customs and traditions.

"Thanks so much guys," Vanessa replied with a smile. The Humphreys were practically her second family. No matter the complicated dynamics amongst them they were a functional family unit. Ironically, the Humphrey family was more function than the Abrams household.

Easing her way past people, Serena hugged Vanessa. "I understand how it must have been very difficult to make such a bold decision. You won't regret it, Vanessa. We will be by your side the entire step of the way. You are _never_ alone."

Her parents and older sister hadn't moved from their seats. She wasn't sure if this was a good or bad reaction to her announcement. Their facial expressions were still unreadable. Her father and mother exchanged glanced with each other. Ruby's facial expression gave slight undertones of disgust. She never fully approved of her sister's association with the world of the superficial and grandeur Upper East Side. Vanessa moved through the crowd towards her family.

"Are you all having a good evening?" she inquired to ease the heavy tension.

Ruby flashed an annoyed glance at her. "Why the hell would you choose to move out of your SoHo loft?" she demanded. "You've officially gone to the dark side. I'm disappointed in you, baby sister."

Her mother immediately interjected, "What your sister meant is she doesn't understand why you'd move to place where those rich people pretend to be nice to your face but then behind your back will have no problem backstabbing you. They won't hesitant to scheme against you and ruin your integrity."

"Not everyone in the Upper East Side is like that," Vanessa said defensively. "There are few good people. Nate Archibald and Serena van der Woodsen are two of the exceptions to the rule. To my surprise, Serena is a decently good person. Ever since I moved back to New York, she has gone out of her way to help me out as much as she can."

"This is a very reckless decision, honey," her father bluntly stated with heavy undercurrents of disapproval in his voice. "You will regret moving to Upper East Side. There is no need to make this compromise just to appease your boyfriend."

Running her hand through her hair in frustration, Vanessa frowned at her family. "Despite your intense disdain for the Upper East Side, I thought _just once_ my family wouldn't harshly criticize me. Nate made a huge sacrifice moving to SoHo to be with me. My boyfriend left all his friends and chose to seriously commit to our relationship. Now it's my turn to leave my comfort zone and move to Upper East Side. I'm not looking for your approval. Nate is one of the best things that happened to me since returning back to New York ten years ago. You clearly don't respect my happiness."

Vanessa briskly walked away from her parents and sister back to her friends, who were genuinely happy for her surprise announcement. It was obviously too difficult for them to take their daughter's happiness into account. They were so damn stuck in their hippy philosophy to see what is happening around them. Vanessa's family didn't take her big news too well. They just needed some time to process it. Despite all his efforts, her parents and older sister refused to get to know him better. Even his own parents made an effort to spend time with his girlfriend. Sometimes things just need time to work out.

Vanessa enjoyed the rest of the Christmas party but purposely stayed away from her family. Within the next hour, her family stealthily slipped out the front door and left their daughter's Christmas party without saying their formal goodbyes. No one said family was easy to deal with. Merriment never faded from their Christmas party. The cater waiters brought out some light snacks for the party guests as the end of the party drew near.

Two hours later, all of their party guests had left leaving the palatial Hampton house very quiet. Even the catering company packed up their stuff and left soon after the last party guests. Their UES Christmas party was a huge success. It was good that only their close friends and family were invited. Their party wouldn't have been as special or meaningful. Nathaniel Archibald and Vanessa Abrams were now recognized as an official couple in Upper East Side society.

The Hampton house looked exactly as it was before it was decorated for their Christmas party. Everything was back in its usual place. Vanessa kicked off her stiletto heels. Nate removed his suit jacket and removed his tie placing it in the pocket of the suit jacket. Nate and Vanessa plopped down on the leather couch. The roaring fire kept the huge family room toasty warm. Vanessa snuggled closer to her boyfriend as he lovingly wrapped his arm around her. The position Vanessa was sitting caused her knee-length dress to hike up leaving her upper thigh exposed. Nate casually rested his hand on her bare upper thigh.

"I don't have enough words to express what a phenomenal job you did planning and hosting your first Upper East Side Christmas party. You managed to tolerate working with Natalie Parlere despite how much she plucked your nerves and tested what was left of your sanity. You did a fantastic job pulling this whole thing together!" Nate complimented his girlfriend.

"If I had to put up with Natalie for another day, I would have thrown some punches. She's glad I kept some of my comments to myself. Self-righteous bitch who thinks she is the greatest thing that happened to the planet. If I survived months of working with her, I sure as hell can survive living on the Upper East Side. You will be my side the entire time. That's all that I need." She entwined her fingers with his and gave his hand a confident squeeze flashing a vibrant smile.

Affectionately kissing the top of her head, he responded, "That's the Vanessa Abrams I fell in love with. You're feisty and resilient in whatever environment you're thrown into. A real force to reckon with is coming to the Upper East Side. I'm so proud of everything you do."

"These past few months have been insane," she admitted. "I feel we've hardly had any opportunity to spend time together. Our careers already keep us very busy and the stress of the holiday season doesn't make it any better. Anyone who said the holidays were about spending quality time with your friends and family doesn't know how the Upper East Side works."

"Thank god the holiday season of finally over for us," he said with a sigh of relief. "It's been way too long since I've taken you out on a romantic date." Dipping his head lower, Nate squarely planted a kiss on his girlfriend.

Vanessa ardently kissed back while repositioning herself to now be sitting on his lap. Nate deepened the kiss thoroughly exploring the concaves of her mouth and pulled her closer until there was no space between their bodies. A soft moan escaped from her as she impatiently unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands along his bare chest. Then, she unbuckled his belt and tossed it haphazardly on the floor. While caressing her inner thigh, he used his free hand to slowly unzip her dress. She eased the sleeves of the dress down her slender arms exposing her from the waist up. Her sexy red lacy strapless bra was the only clothing remaining on her upper body. His blue eyes lit up seeping with seduction. Nate broke the kiss and slowly trailed kisses down her neck to her collarbone. A scorching sensation spread wherever his lips came in contact with her bare skin. Euphoria washed over her causing her to moan a little louder.

Nate and Vanessa were too lost in their intensely romantic moment to notice not all of the catering staff had left. A man and woman in cater waiter attire walked past the kitchen into the dining room carrying some items in their arms. They walked down the hallway leading into the huge family room to quietly sneak out of the front door _without_ the hosts noticing them. Neither of the catering staff expected anyone would still be in the family room. They assumed the palatial Hampton house was empty. The two catering staff people were in for a _huge_ surprise when they entered the family room.

Dropping a metal serving platter onto the wood floors, the female cater waiter exclaimed in complete surprise, "Holy shit!"

The male cater waiter came to sudden halt a few feet behind her so they couldn't collide dropping everything in their arms. "Stop dropping things, Naomi! If there is the slightest dent on these platters, our manager is going to fire our asses!" the man irately reprimanded. "It's bad enough we had to fricken drive back to retrieve these platters all because Danny is extremely forgetful! He only realized we left the platters behind halfway back to the city! The faster we leave the Hamptons the sooner we can go home. I'm feeling so exhausted. What's the hell is the reason for the delay?" He carefully walked towards Naomi to see what had startled her causing her to drop some platters on the ground. Understanding immediately dawned on him when he found the hosts of the party having an intimate moment in the family room. Both of them were half naked sprawled on the leather couch.

Something crashing loudly on the floor snapped Vanessa and Nate back to reality.

"What the hell?" Nate glanced over Vanessa's shoulder to see where the loud sound came from. With his hands firmly grasping her hips, her body instantly tensed up. No one but them was still supposed to be in the house.

Standing ten feet away from them, two cater waiters stared at them both with many metal platter stacked up high in their arms. A light blush formed along the woman's cheeks as she tried to hide her face behind the stack of platters. They stood motionless with shell-shocked expressions plastered on their faces.

"What are you guys still doing here?" Nate demanded with undertones of annoyance in his voice. This better not kill their intimately romantic mood.

Naomi was too embarrassed to respond let alone look directly at Nate who was glaring at them. "I'm so sorry Mr. Archibald. Our manager ordered us to drive back to retrieve some platters we left in the guest kitchen. Naomi and I had no idea anyone would still be here," the male cater waiter politely replied looking directly at Nathaniel.

A deep blush spread across Vanessa's face. Instead of making eye contact with the cater waiters, she chose to bury her face in her boyfriend's chest. This had never happened to her before. Strangers had never walked on in when she and her boyfriend were having an intimately romantic moment. Family members were an entirely different story.

"It looks like you've gotten what you left behind. You should check if anyone else is around before making assumptions this house was empty after the Christmas party ended. My girlfriend and I are staying here tonight instead of travelling back to the city," Nate clarified to the two cater waiters. "Please leave now before I press charges for trespassing on private property." His livid facial expression was enough to convey he was serious about pressing charges if they stayed a minute longer in the house without his permission.

The male and female cater waiter cautiously scurried out of the family room while delicately balancing the platters in their arms. A minute later the front door slammed shut. "Finally we have privacy," he stated. His hands tenderly cradled Vanessa's face. The deep blush still lingered on her cheeks.

"You didn't need to threaten to press charges if they didn't leave," Vanessa commented. Nate was clearly pissed off they'd interrupted their intimate moment.

"They probably went through the side fence to go to the guest kitchen. That's the only other way there without coming through the front door," Nate explained. "I wouldn't have minded letting them in if they'd come through the front door. I thought they were burglars. It isn't uncommon for burglars to break into wealthy family homes _particularly_ in this area of the Hamptons during the holidays to steal their personal possessions."

"It makes sense that holidays are when burglars decide to rob the rich," she said as the understanding of his logic slowly dawned on her. "Not that there will be any more interruptions but we can continue what we were doing upstairs. You know for more privacy." Each word dripped with seduction. She climbed off of his lap and pulled the dress past her hips. The Tadashi Shoji knee-length cocktail dress fell to the floor leaving her completely exposed except for her red lacy strapless bra and matching panty.

Vanessa suggestively winked at Nate. She ran out of the family room area and raced up the semi-spiral staircase. He removed his pants tossing it haphazardly with his suit jacket on the couch. Vanessa knew Nate could easily catch up with her since he was an avid runner. Nathaniel started his day with an brisk early morning run through Central Park.

He sprinted up the staircase and chased after his girlfriend. Nate purposely let her run ahead of him so he could appreciate her smoking hot body from afar. Despite her trim figure, Vanessa Abrams had a surprising amount of upper and lower body strength from working in art galleries for many years giving her lean, toned muscular arms and legs. Not to mention she was incredibly flexible and agile. This came in handy in _many_ situations.

Her red lacy strapless bra was discarded on the last step of the semi-spiral staircase. As she jogged down the long hallway, Nate rapidly closed the distance between them until she was within arm's length. She frequently glanced out of the corners of her eye to see how close he was behind her. He firmly gripped her waist and spun her around pinning her against the wall. "I was wandering when you'd catch up with me," she flirtatiously remarked. "We're almost to our room. Just five doors down then you're all mine." There were heavy sensual undercurrents interwoven into every word.

Nate removed his shirt letting it fall to the ground. Vanessa grounded her body up against his. There was practically very little clothing left on them. She snaked her slender arms around his neck. Only a couple inches separated their faces. "Any bedroom will do," Nate murmured suggestively in her ear.

"I don't want to incur the wrath of your grandfather. We promised to keep everything as it was when we arrived," Vanessa emphasized.

"I'll deal with my grandfather. Don't worry about that," he explained confidently with his signature boyish grin. His blue eyes lustfully drank her in from head to toe. Before she could express any objections, he planted a steamy kiss on her soft lips. Nathaniel somehow managed to open to the nearest bedroom door propelling them into the room without breaking the kiss. Many months of insane work schedules and holiday planning duties meant there were no opportunities for romantic dates let alone sexy time with each other. Their lack of intimacy the past few months only heightened the intensity of their lust. Desire burned in their eyes. Nathanial Archibald and Vanessa Abrams made a dynamically functional couple with undeniable chemistry and compatible personalities. They continually encouraged their counterpart to live up to their full potential.

Their discarded clothes randomly scattered between the family room and the upstairs hallway revealed the story of their sensuous escapades in the Hampton house that night. Whoever came to clean the palatial home the next morning, they would not be spared of any details of their intimate passions. The evidence _literally_ spoke for itself.

The morning sun shone brightly through the windows onto Nate and Vanessa. Vanessa was still sound asleep with her face buried in the fluffy pillow. Unfortunately, the sunlight blasted right in Nate's eye unpleasantly awaking him from his deep sleep. As his hand shielded the blinding morning sun from his eyes, Nate slowly woke up no longer able to fall back to sleep. Vanessa looked stunningly gorgeous yet serene sound sleep sprawled across her side of the bed. She well deserved extra hours of sleep after working her ass off planning last night's Christmas party with their close friends and family for the past couple months. He quietly slipped out of bed and slipped on a robe. Nate wanted to surprise Vanessa when she woke up with breakfast in bed. Christmas festivities were far from over. They would be eating brunch with his parents in a few hours followed by Blair's

Thirty minutes later, Vanessa stirred awake sluggishly. She outstretched her arm expecting to find her boyfriend lying next to her. His side of the bed was empty. The bedroom door creaked open as Nate walked through carrying a tray of delicious breakfast. Two scrambled egg, two pieces of toast, and crispy bacon strips with a glass of orange juice. Her mouth salivated at the savory smell of breakfast. She sat upright loosely clasping the cotton bed sheets to her naked body. Vanessa didn't even care about the potentially messy state of her wavy hair.

"Good morning. Merry Christmas, Vanessa. I didn't want to disturb you from your sleep. We have a long day ahead of us, so I thought you could use some breakfast to get energy. My parents wanted us to join them for brunch at The Plaza today. Then, we will be going to Blair's party in the evening," Nate said with huge grin. Nathaniel was one of the few guys she knew who could pull off the sexy bedhead look. He placed the tray on her lap and without hesitation she grabbed a slice of bacon and shoved it her mouth. Vanessa hungrily devoured down all the food on the tray.

He plopped down next to her on the bed watching his girlfriend enjoy her well-balanced breakfast. Pulling something from the pocket of his robe, Nate added, "I found this when I was going down the stairwell. I hate for you to accidently leave it behind when we left here." Her red lacey strapless bra.

"I would have been devastated if I lost my favorite bra," she commented with seductive undertones. Nate handed it to her. Letting the bed sheets fall down to her waist, Vanessa placed the empty tray at the foot of the bed. She slipped out of the bed and proceeded to put on her bra and panty. "We'd better get dressed and ready to avoid late morning rush hour traffic into the city. Give me twenty minutes and I'll be ready to go." She lightly kissed him on the lips before dashing out of the bedroom and down the hallway. Their suitcases had been moved to another bedroom four doors down.

Within forty-five minutes, Nathaniel and Vanessa were all packed and ready to leave the Hamptons to head back to New York City. They were meeting their parents for brunch at The Plaza around noon. Nate didn't want to keep his parents waiting. A black town car pulled up the front of the Hampton house. The chauffer put their suitcases in the trunk. Vanessa and Nate shuffled into the back seat. Even though it was Christmas Day, there was no such thing as nice long break _especially_ with their demanding careers. The two hour car ride back to the city was mostly silent as their attentions were primarily focused on their iPhones responding to work-related e-mails. Time was of the essence in their lines of work.

The black town car halted to a somewhat sudden stop jolting Vanessa from her light nap and startling Nathaniel who was furiously typing out an e-mail to the editor-in-chief at The New York Times. "We've arrived at The Plaza, Mr. Archibald," the chauffer announced. "I'll drop off your suitcases at your mother's residence. Mr. Van Der Bilt is expecting me to pick him up from New York City Hall within an hour. I best start heading there soon so I'm not late. He doesn't like it when I don't pick him up on time."

"Please tell my grandfather that I appreciate him for so kindly lending you to us for the past two days. We wouldn't want to make you late to your next appointment. Actually you can drop off the suitcases at my friends' penthouse apartment," Nate replied while quickly jotting down the address of the residence of Chuck and Blair on a scrap piece of paper. "Merry Christmas, James. Have a good rest of the day"

He handed the piece of paper through the divider. James took the paper from Nathaniel and safely put it in the outer pocket of his suit jacket. The chauffer nodded his head in acknowledgement of the slight change of plan. Vanessa grabbed her Coach purse and cautiously exited the town car. A fresh layer of snow covered the sidewalks. Her boyfriend followed closely behind her. The doorman politely greeted them while holding door open for them. Warmth enveloped them in bear hug as they sauntered into the spacious lobby of The Plaza.

Vanessa and Nate had a jam-packed schedule of Christmas festivities and parties to attend that day. Upper East Siders typically saw more of their friends and family during the major holidays than they did during most of the year. That's just how it worked out. Things were different in the Upper East Side.

* * *

_**The next chapter will focus on Serena and Dan!**_

_**I'll do my best to update the next chapter of Living Life In The Fast Lane as soon as possible!**_

_**Thanks for you patience! Stay tuned for more wonderful awesomeness! I'm having a blast writing this Gossip Girl fanfiction story! :)**_


	5. What a Wonderful Life!

_**Here's the next chapter of Living Life in the Fast Lane. This chapter primarily focuses on Dan and Serena but many other characters do make brief appearances. Chapter 5 takes place two months after No Rest for the Naughty or Nice...so it's based in the month of February! Each of the main characters focused on in Living Life in the Fast Lane fanfiction story are all heading in new directions in their lives. **_

_**I'd greatly appreciate your constructive feedback! R&amp;R! Enjoy! **_

* * *

**Part 5: What a Wonderful Life!**

_~Two Months Later~_

New York City was bustling with normal everyday traffic congestion on its sidewalks and roads. Dan had left early in the morning to meet with his editor, Alessandra, to make final revisions to his next novel. After the Christmas madness, he had finally found huge amounts of time to work on his next novel. He stopped by his wife's favorite Italian restaurant to pick up some dinner for them. She was probably still sleeping considering how busy she was lately. Serena had been helping her best friend, Blair, with finalizing the details for the new maternity clothing line for Waldorf Designs. Blair felt that Waldorf Designs needed to diversify their clothing lines to target females from all walks of life. She made sure Serena didn't overexert herself since her friend was eight months pregnant. Her due date was fast approaching. Stress was not good for her twins.

Dan and Serena couldn't agree on the same names for their twins. Lily suggested a great idea to them. Dan would pick the name for their son and Serena would pick the name for their daughter. This way it was fairer. As the publishing date for his upcoming novel drew closer, he hardly had any time to contemplate baby names. The nursery was all ready and decorated for the twins. It was a guarantee that their children's lives would _never_ be dull since the Humphrey and van der Woodsen family were complicated. Nonetheless, the children would receive plenty of love and support from their aunt, uncles, grandparents, and godparents. Erik, Serena's younger brother, and Jenny, his younger sister, were going to be the twins' godparents.

Dan finished the meeting with his editor earlier than expected. As he was walking out of Alessandra's office, his iPhone buzzed alerting him of a new iMessage. The text message was from his friend, Nathaniel Archibald.

Nate: Hey buddy! Are you free now? Vanessa and I were going to grab some lunch. You should join us.

Dan: Actually, I just finished up my meeting with Alessandra. You sure I'm not intruding on your lunch date with Vanessa?

N: Nonsense. We'd love for you to join us. It has been weeks since we last saw you.

D: Alrighty if you insist. I have a couple of hours to kill.

N: We're going to eat lunch at the Candle Café. You know where this is?

D: Yeah. I've been there a couple times before.

N: Great! We'll see you soon!

D: Sounds good! :)

Dan flagged down a taxi cab. Sliding into the back seat, he told the taxi driver his destination but wanted to be dropped off a block away from Candle Café. New York City was preparing for Valentine's Day since it was in a couple of weeks. Most New Yorkers were more pleasant around major holidays. Valentine's Day plans were the furthest thing from his mind. Pulling out a piece of paper, from his coat pocket, Dan browsed through a list of boys names he had complied over the past month after heavily scrutinizing baby name websites and books. Many people suggested that he name his son after his father, Rufus. As much as he loved his dad, Dan disapproved of such archaic societal traditions. Children should be able to forget their own destinies starting by not constantly being compared to the relative they are named after. People assume writers can come up with names easier. Bunch of bull. It as a challenging task coming with names regardless if it is giving the right name for your unborn child or a character in your literary works. A name can say a lot about someone.

The taxi driver tapped on the divider to get Dan's attention. He was deep in thought as reality had slipped away. "Excuse me, sir. We've arrived to your destination. I have another customer waiting to get in," the driver said with a tinge of irritation in his voice.

"Oh thanks," Dan replied and handed a twenty dollar bill to through the divider. "Have a good day!" It had been lightly snowing all day. He bundled his winter coat closer to his body to keep warm in the bitter cold. New York City sidewalks weren't always cleaned off or salted properly in certain areas. He cautiously walked down the block towards Candle Café. It was a vegetarian café. The bright green awning kept the snow from collecting on the tables and seats outside of the café. There weren't too many people in Candle Café. It wasn't too difficult to find his friends in the place.

Before he could greet his friends, Vanessa spotted Dan out of the corner of her eye. A huge smile formed across her face. "Dan! I didn't know you were coming. I haven't seen you in weeks," she enthusiastically exclaimed while embracing her friend in a bear hug.

Nate rose from his chair to hug his friend. "I'm glad you decided to join us. Life has been so busy for all of us that we've barely seen you since Christmas."

"My publisher and editor are putting immense pressure on me to meet the deadline of turning in the final draft of my next novel. I've been working on my final novel manuscript for the past couple of months. This required me to shut myself out from the outside world. It hasn't left me too much time to socialize with my friends unfortunately. I've missed you guys. How is life?" Dan replied while taking off his winter coat, scarf, and gloves. He proceed to take the one empty seat between Nate and Vanessa.

A waiter approached their table and took all of their orders. Even though Dan and Nate were carnivores, they accepted Vanessa's vegetarian eating habits. Their food arrived within 20 minutes.

"How's your art gallery?" Dan inquired before taking another bite of eggplant parmesan.

After swallowing her food, Vanessa said gleefully, "It is going well. I've booked three new upcoming artists for my exhibit at the end of this month. My connections have given me very promising tips of artists who I should select for my exhibits. I'm glad I maintained my connection with the NYU art department."

"That's wonderful, Vanessa! Let me know when your next exhibit is. My schedule will be more open towards the end of this month."

"Well I'm still working out with the three artists of when they'll be finished their art pieces. I'll get back to you in a couple weeks about the exact day of the exhibit. I understand how busy your schedule is. Everyone assumes writers have more free time in their schedule. This isn't true. The more successful of a writer you are the less free time you have. I'd love to read the ARC of your novel."

"Alessandra wouldn't mind if I gave you an ARC of my novel. She trusts you won't leak it out to the public before it official release date. My editor has her moments, but Alessandra respects my writing process. That is most important."

Nate was attentively listening to their conversation while simultaneously replying e-mails. The Chicago branch of The Spectator was going through a bit of a rough patch. They had been understaffed for the past couple of months.

"How are things with The Spectator, Nate?" Dan asked. He took the last bite of his eggplant parmesan. It was a delicious meal considering he wasn't necessarily a huge fan of eggplant.

"Things are bit stressful to be honest. I'm preparing for a major deadline in the next couple of weeks for the New York branch. My entire staff has been working overtime to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. The Chicago branch feels a bit overwhelmed since it is understaffed. My business partner is flying out tonight to Chicago to update me on that situation." His stress was written all over his face despite his overall pristine appearance. It looked like he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in a while.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope everything works out soon. It seems there's a fast approaching deadline looming over everyone's head. The holiday seasons are always so stressful," Dan stated. "Have any fun Valentine's Day plans?"

"Depending on the next couple of weeks, a relaxing night at home with Netflix and takeout food would be fantastic. Nothing fancy. Simple is better than elaborate plans," Vanessa answered. Nathanial nodded his head in agreement with Vanessa's comment. Considering how busy their lives were with their individual work, they enjoyed spending a relaxing day at home together. Elaborate Valentine's Day plan were appealing when they were younger and weren't bogged down by their busy work schedules.

"Simple is definitely more relaxing. Even with all of our different career paths, we get enough stress from our work life. There is hardly any free time for us. Elaborate plans require way too much energy that most of us don't have after a long work day," Dan said.

Just as Nate was going to reply, his phone rang. The ID caller read Charles. Why would Chuck be calling him? He thought his friend was in London for a Bass Industries conference. "Hello Chuck. It's been a while."

"Hello Nathaniel. I'm on a flight back to New York right now. Is Humphrey with you by chance?" Chuck inquired.

Why was Chuck flying back to New York? There must be an emergency. Dan and Chuck weren't exactly close friends. "Actually, Dan joined Vanessa and me for lunch today. Why?"

There were muffled voices in the background. "Sorry about that. Jack was asking me something. Anyway, my wife called me a few hours ago telling me to return home tonight. She didn't exactly tell me why but only to tell Humphrey to call her as soon as possible."

"Jack is with you? What's going on?" Nate asked with undertones of worry in his voice.

Dan busily chatting away with Vanessa when he rapidly turned his attention to Nate after hearing his name mentioned in his conversation with Chuck. He was curious why Charles Bass would ask for him.

"How about I just hand the phone over to Dan? That way it bypasses the step of having him call Blair."

"I don't know what is going on exactly, so it would be best if he called Blair now. I've got to go. The pilot is telling us to turn off our electronic devices. I'll see you soon, Nathaniel," Chuck tersely replied before hanging up the phone.

Dan and Vanessa curiously glanced over at Nate. "What's wrong? Why did Chuck call you?" Vanessa asked inquiringly.

"He didn't exactly specify why but Dan you need to call Blair right now," Nate responded. "Chuck and Uncle Jack are leaving London and flying back to New York tonight. I don't know what is happening."

Daniel was very confused. What did Blair need to tell him so urgently? Serena was spending today with Blair. His wife was helping her friend finalize the details about the maternity clothing line for Waldorf Designs. The only plausible reason Blair would ask for him is if something happened to Serena. Dan suddenly became worried that there was something wrong with his wife.

"I'm sorry to cut our lunch short, but there is somewhere I need to go right now. It was great to finally catch up with you both. We should do this again," Dan said while hurryingly putting on his gloves, scarf, and coat.

Nate paid for lunch. Vanessa and Nate hastily grabbed their belongings following closely behind Dan. As Dan flagged down a taxi, Vanessa shouted, "Dan!" This grabbed his attention. Nate and Vanessa ran towards him.

"I don't mean to rudely interrupt our lovely lunch, but I really need to be somewhere right now..." he began but Nate abruptly interrupted by him.

"We understand you're in a rush. If this has anything to do with Serena, we want to be there with you," Nate responded with subtle smile. "That's what friends are for."

Nate, Vanessa, and Dan slid into the back of taxi cab. Dan gave the address of the Waldorf penthouse. There was barely any traffic on the way over which was good since Dan felt his blood pressure increasingly rise during the entire cab ride. _What if there are complications with the twins? What if Serena went into early labor? _ His mind was racing a mile a minute with a plethora of questions. Nate and Vanessa tried to distract their worrisome friend but all their attempts fell flat.

The cab stopped in front of the Waldorf penthouse. Dan paid the cab fare and dashed out of the taxi. He ran through the lobby accidently cutting off a few people patiently waiting for the elevator. Nate and Vanessa followed closely behind their friends into the elevator despite the angry glares thrown their ways. There was no time to apologize for their rude abrupt behavior.

The elevator doors opened up. The penthouse was quiet. Too quiet. Way too quiet. Blair's two children were nowhere to be seen or heard.

"Blair! Serena!" Dan yelled. His voice echoed throughout the seemingly empty penthouse. "What the hell is going on? Is something wrong with Serena?" Daniel Humphrey was in full panic mode.

Dorota scurried down the semi-spiraling staircase towards Nate, Vanessa, and Dan. "Please be quiet, Mrs. Humphrey. I've finally put down Adeline for a nap," she exclaimed exasperated. There was sweat on her brow as if she had chased Adeline around the penthouse just to get the little girl to take a nap. Dorota took a moment to catch her breath. "Miss Blair told me to hand you this note when you arrived." She pulled a note out of her pocket and sauntered towards Humphrey. He grabbed the note and frantically opened it up. Blair's terse note read: Meet me at Lenox Hill Hospital ASAP after you receive this note from Dorota.

His anxious facial expression transformed into fearful panicked expression. Dan refocused his attention away from the piece of paper back to Dorota. "Did Blair say anything else besides giving you this note before leaving?" he demanded.

"No. She just called the town car and rushed Serena into the elevator. I don't know what is going on." A young girl's shrill cry from upstairs interrupted whatever Dorota was going to say. "I'm sorry I can't be more helpful. I better check on Adeline." She ran up the staircase disappearing down the hall.

"What's wrong, Dan?" Vanessa asked her friend. Clearly, something was going on.

"I'll explain it to you both in the taxi cab. Time is of the essence!" Dan tersely replied. Despite his neutral facial expression, his brown eyes revealed how apprehensive he was.

Nate flagged down a taxi. Vanessa and Daniel followed behind Nate. "Lenox Hill Hospital ASAP! This is an emergency!" Dan told the driver through the cab divider.

Nate and Vanessa arched their eyebrow immediately after hearing Dan say their destination. "Why are we going to Lenox Hill Hospital?" Nate inquired. "Is something wrong with Serena?"

Dan puffed in frustration and ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know. Blair's note is too ambiguous for me to decipher. I'm worried there are complications with the twins."

"Everything will be fine. Don't panic or freak out. Nothing is wrong with Serena or the twins," Vanessa said giving his shoulder a gentle yet comforting squeeze.

The taxi cab pulled up to the front of the Lenox Hill Hospital's main entrance. Vanessa insisted on paying the cab fee this time. They exited the cab and rushed to the main receptionist desk. All of the receptionists were busy taking phone calls. Dan frantically tried to get one of the receptionists attention but they only showed them a hand to please wait his turn. He realized why he hated hospitals. His father was so thankful neither Daniel nor Jenny had injuries that required them to be taken to the hospital.

Dan was running out of patience, when Blair rounded the corner. "Humphrey! It only took you a freaking century. What took you so long?!"

He ran towards Blair. "You're kidding right!?" Dan responded heavily exasperatedly. He definitely was in no mood to deal with Blair's attitude right now. "I was casually eating lunch with Nate and Vanessa when Chuck called Nate telling me to immediately call you. Instead of calling you, I thought it would be best if I stopped by your penthouse. There was one huge problem. Neither you nor Serena was there! Dorota gave me your super ambiguous note. How was I _not_ supposed to freak out?!"

"I didn't expect you to take so bloody long, Humphrey!" Blair replied putting her hands on her hips.

Dan and Blair had fierce personalities. Before they started yelling at each other, Nate placed himself between Dan and Blair creating a buffer. "There's no need to get angry with one another here. Both of you need to calm down!" Nathaniel said firmly even raising the volume of his voice.

Vanessa helped out her boyfriend who was trying to prevent an unnecessary escalation of emotions being exchanged. "Why are we standing in the lobby of Lennox Hill Hospital, Blair?" she inquired in a neutral tone of voice.

"Are my wife and unborn twins okay?" Dan demanded.

"Don't worry, Humphrey. We were ironing out the sketches to Waldorf Designs new maternity clothing line when I noticed Serena tense up. We weren't sure what if there was complications with the twins or if she was going into early labor. She is very close to her due date. I immediately called the chauffer to get the town car and take us to the nearest hospital which happens to be Lennox Hill Hospital. There was no time to make a detailed note when I found Dorota before leaving the penthouse with Serena. I've tried to get information about what is going on from the doctors but they refuse to speak to me. The doctors will _only_ speak to Serena's spouse and immediate family member!"

Just as he was going to respond to Blair, Lily and William burst into the lobby of Lennox Hill Hospital. "Why did I receive call about my daughter, Blair?" Lily wore a worried facial expression. William placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. Despite his calm facade, he was just as concerned about his daughter. Several minutes later, Erik ran into the lobby area heavily panting. He caught his breath while simultaneously assessing the present situation. His mother, father, brother-in-law, Blair Waldorf, Nate Archibald, and Vanessa Abrahams were all crammed into the lobby area.

Blair didn't want to re-explain herself. "I don't know because the doctor refuses to talk to anyone but Serena's immediate family members and/or husband. Now that all of you are here let's go find talk to the doctor. Follow me," she said to Serena's family. "Nate. Vanessa. I'm going to have to ask you to take a seat and wait since you're not immediate family. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Ten minutes later, Blair reappeared in the lobby by herself. She sat next to Nate. A few strands of hair had fallen out of her neat up-do hairstyle. It had been a long and tiring day for her. Vanessa, Nate, and Blair sat on the couches in the lobby area in silence.

Erik and William came back into the lobby and sat on the opposite couches facing Vanessa, Blair, and Nate. The three of them eagerly glanced towards Erik. "What is going on, Erik?" Nathanial inquired anxiously. "Are Serena and the twins doing okay?"

William responded with a wide grin, "Everything is fine. Serena experienced early labor contractions. My wife and Daniel are with Serena right now in the delivery room. My future grandson and granddaughter will be making their arrival into the world soon. You guys don't have to sit and wait here. We'll call you all when the twins are born."

"That's wonderful news for your family!" Blair exclaimed. "It's great to hear both mother and children are okay."

"We want to be here for Serena and Dan. We don't mind waiting until then," Vanessa responded. "They're our friends and we want to be here to celebrate the birth of their twins."

Three hours passed by with no news from the doctors, Dan, or Lily. Blair passed the time by responding to work e-mails, while Vanessa and Nate discussed the final details about their upcoming Valentine's Day party. Erik conversed with his dad about his European adventures.

Another hour went by still with no updates. William began to feel anxious. Delivering twins were more difficult and potentially led to unforeseen complications. Serena insisted on having a natural birth. His daughter's OB/GYN doctor told her there weren't significantly threatening complications with the twins that required a C-section delivery.

Lily re-emerged in the lobby area and ran towards her husband. Her face light up jubilantly. "Come say hello to your grandson and granddaughter. One of the twins was semi-tangled in its umbilical cord, but the doctor was able to untangle the cord around the baby. The doctor says only immediate family can come in right now."

Erik and William jolted up from the couch following closely behind Lily towards the private maternity wing. Daniel sat in the chair besides his wife's bed holding his newborn son and daughter in his arms. Swaddled in a soft, plush white blanket, they were sound asleep. The doctors almost rushed her into emergency C-section surgery, but Serena insisted on naturally birthing the twins. Three and half hours later, their healthy, beautiful twins were born into the world. Serena chose the name Catalina for their daughter. Dan chose the name Alaric his son. They didn't want to go with any of the normal names let alone the pompous names Upper East Siders named their children. Absolutely no namesake names for their twins. Their children should be able to forge their own destinies.

Serena's parents and brother burst into the private maternity suite. Daniel called his parents after the delivery to tell them the wonderful news. His parents and Jenny would be arriving to Lennox Hill Hospital within the hour. He didn't have time to call them before Serena was rushed to the delivery room.

Serena's golden blonde long hair lay messily on the pillow with strands of hair plasters to her sweaty forehead. No matter how exhausted her body was pushing out the twins the blissful smile on her face spoke volumes. Eight months pregnant with her unborn twins and she could now hold them in her arms. Dan let her take a short nap after the delivery to regain some of her strength and energy. As her eyes fluttered open, she saw her parents and brother crowded around Dan, who was holding their sleeping twins. Her husband's eyes glistened joyfully as he glanced down at the two babies in his arms.

"Say hello to Alaric and Catalina. They're sound asleep right now so be careful not to wake them, but you are more than welcome to hold your grandson and granddaughter," Dan softly said to Lily and William. Lily took Alaric and William took Catalina from Daniel. Tears of joy spilled out from Lily's eyes. Erik watched his parents hold the sleeping twins.

"Catalina looks more like Serena and Alaric looks more like you," Erik commented upon closer observation of the sleeping babies.

"For now. We'll have to see if that changes as they grow up," Dan remarked with an exuberant smile.

Dan jumped from the chair to greet his parents and sister standing at the doorway of the private suite. Rufus and Allison congratulated Dan and Serena on their newborn bundles of joy. Allison and Serena rarely talked to each other much but they learned to tolerate one another's presence at family gatherings. Today being a joyous occasion spread contagious happiness that made his mother talk to his wife on her own free will. Also, she genuinely smiled while talking with Serena.

Jenny's teenage daughter, Rosalyn, was nowhere to be seen. Daniel didn't bother asking his sister where his niece was. Rosalyn would see her baby cousins at the next family gathering. Jenny stood near Lily and William gawking at her adorable newborn niece and nephew, while simultaneously having an active conversation with Erik.

Serena's parents and Dan's parents left within an hour. Erik and Jenny decided not to leave with their respective parents. They left momentarily to go on a coffee run at the nearby Starbucks a few blocks away from Lennox Hill Hospital. Serena and Dan had brief moment of privacy with their twins before Blair, Chuck, Nate, Vanessa, and Uncle Jack walked into the private suite. Dorota stayed outside with Blair's two children. Adeline and Henry chased each other irritating the nurses walking up and down the hallway.

Serena chatted with her best friend, Blair, while Chuck held baby Alaric. Uncle Jack deliberately chose to _not_ get married _nor_ have any children. It wasn't the life he wanted for himself. Jack updated his nephew on what was happening at the Bass Industries conference in London based off the e-mails he had recently received. Daniel talked with Nate and Vanessa since their conversation at lunch was unexpectedly cut short. Vanessa cradled baby Catalina in her arms gushing over how cute she was.

Erik and Jenny returned back with four cups of black coffee. Two coffers were for them. The other two coffees were for Dan and Serena. Serena had to give up caffeine for eight months, but now she could go back to drinking caffeinated coffee. Decaf coffee doesn't come close to tasting the same as caffeinated coffee.

Interrupting his conversation with his friends, thee doctor politely asked Dan to meet her outside in the hallway. "I'll be right back guys. The doctor wants to quickly talk to me," he said. Daniel walked out of the private suite into the hallway of the private maternity wing. "Is something wrong, Dr. Henderson?"

Dr. Carly Henderson was the doctor who delivered his newborn twins, Catalina and Alaric. "Nothing is wrong, Mr. Humphrey. I understand the birth of your twins is a huge festivity for your family and friends, but it is best if they leave soon. Your wife needs to rest to get back to her full strength. Today was very exhausting for her. Your family and friends are welcome to drop by during guest visitation hours," she firmly said with a neutral facial expression. She sauntered down the hallway.

Daniel headed back into the private suite which was still packed with all their close friends. It seemed the festivity surrounding the twins' birth awakened the babies from their deep slumber. Jenny and Serena each took one of the twins. Gently rocking them, Alaric and Catalina calmed down and eventually fell back asleep.

"Congratulations on your beautiful twins, Serena!" Blair gushed gleefully. "It's getting rather late. I remember how exhausted I was after giving birth to Henry and Adeline. You've had a very long day and should get some sleep. Chuck and I will come visit you tomorrow during visitation hours."

Blair, Chuck, and Uncle Jack rejoined Dorota and the two children outside in the hallway. Nate and Vanessa grabbed their jackets. "Congratulation to the both of you. We'll drop by to visit you guy sometime this week during visitation hours. Vanessa's schedule is jam-packed as she prepared for her next exhibit show this week. I'll be flying out tomorrow to Chicago for a few days to sort out some things at the Spectator office," Nate explained. "Have a good night!"

"Thanks for patiently waiting in the lobby for all those hours. I appreciate you guys taking time out of your busy schedules to be there for Serena and me today. Have a good rest of the evening," Dan said giving Nate and Vanessa a hearty hug. They walked out of the private suite.

Erik and Jenny were the only ones left in the room. They were each holding one of the twins. "I'll be heading out now," Erik softly said since the baby was within close hearing range. "I promised my boyfriend we would go out tonight for dinner to his favorite restaurant. Our dinner reservation is in an hour. I'll drop by sometime tomorrow during visiting hours."

"No worries. You and Elliot have a great time tonight," Serena commented. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Jenny was furiously typing away on her iPhone with her free hand. Her face creased into an irritated facial expression. "I also need to leave. If I don't pick up Rosa from her friend's house on time, Karen will give me a mouth-full of a rant. God that woman has a stick up her ass. She's so damn uptight. I'll drop by tomorrow to see my handsome baby nephew and beautiful baby niece. Have a good evening!" Dan now knew why he didn't see his niece today. Rosalyn had gone over to a friend's house. He hardly saw Jenny without her daughter in tow behind her.

Jenny slowly slid Catalina into her brother's arms. She walked out of the room engaged in an intense conversation with someone over the phone. They finally had their private suite all to themselves.

"It's so nice to finally have some peace and quiet with our newborn twins," Serena remarked while adoringly staring at her newborn son and daughter comfortably cradled in her arms. "I'm so sorry to create unnecessary worry today. I had felt very slight contractions throughout this morning but I didn't think it was anything to worry about. It wasn't until I working with Blair on the final sketches of the maternity clothing line that the contractions truly felt painful. Blair quickly rushed me here since she wasn't going to take any chances in case I actually went into early labor. She didn't have time to explain what was going on in the note before rushing me to Lennox Hill Hospital."

"You don't need to apologize, Serena," Daniel responded affectionately kissing his wife's forehead. "Things like this are unexpected. You were very close to your due date so the twins could have arrived any day. That's why I didn't want you to overexert yourself. I'm just happy that our son and daughter are healthy babies."

Two nurses came into their private suite sliding in two baby cots. "It's time to take the twins back. We'll be back tomorrow morning with Catalina and Alaric. You've had a long day, Mrs. Humphrey. You need your rest," the redhead nurse with Snoopy scrubs said to the couple. The other nurse sauntered towards them to retrieve the babies in her arms.

"Wait," Dan interjected as the blonde nurse in plain beige scrubs went to reach for his son. "Before you take our twins, could one of you take a picture of our family? I'd like to immortalize this unforgettable day in a photograph."

The redhead nurse replied, "Sure." He handed his iPhone over to the nurse. Serena rebalanced the twin babies in her arms as Dan leaned close to his wife draping his arm on her shoulders. His daughter's little hand grabbed onto his pinky. The nurse took the photo and handed the iPhone back to Dan.

The two nurses took their son and daughter placing them in their assigned hospital bed cots before carting them out of the suite. This was his cue to leave to allow Serena to get the sleep she well deserves after birthing their twins today. Firmly kissing Serena's lips, Dan tenderly whispered in her ear, "I'm going to leave, honey. I'll be back here bright and early in the morning before my meeting with my editor and publisher. I love you so much. Good night, Serena." Unfolding the blanket at the foot of the bed, he put the blanket on top of the thin hospital bed sheets. Serena had already fallen sound asleep. Dan turned off the light and strolled out of the private suite quietly closing the door behind him.

Today was quite an eventful day. Their twins, Alaric and Catalina, were born into the world. No matter the struggles Serena and him will encounter as being parents, they were ready to embark on this wild journey. Life was full of the unexpected.

* * *

_**The next chapter will focus on Jenny. I intend the make Chapter 6 the final chapter of Living Life in the Fast Lane. I'm still in the process of writing the next chapter...it will surely have a devious scheme revealing a scandalous secret that will shock the Upper East Side! Jenny is full of intriguing unpredictability. **_

_**I try to fit in time to write whenever I have pockets of free-time in my busy schedule. **_

_**Thanks for your patience! Stay tuned for the next chapter of Living Life in the Fast Lane!**_


End file.
